351-360
Once deployed orders are issued, one needs to quickly make his way to the deployed Front.
Since Alex was unconscious, he was late and had to rush in quickly.
On his way to the South, Alex was accompanied by Riya and a hundred men who he had brought from Leonhart which would be
divided into two squads.
One headed by Aeon and another by Max.
And just like this, Maxs long dream to lead his squad was fulfilled.
Hurt and Jeremy were posted to the Northern land while Joey went to Eastern Land.
Alex wanted to bring Christina but because of the arch nemesis, Alex stopped her from accompanying him which annoyed him greatly.
Eight days, after leaving Zenith, Alex along with his man arrived at the starting point of the Western Front.
Most of the Kingdoms around this place were Tier 3 or Tier 4.
There were no Lords or central strongholds in this place and the nobles or Kings from the surrounding place generally served as soldiers and Commanders who wished to gain some name and fame.
Arkham, being the weakest, never posed any threat to this place.
Christinas father and Shen used to be commanders at Eastern fort and after Christinas father became a general, there were many noteworthy achievements under his name.
It was due to his persistence Harold wasnt able to set foot on Kinleys lands but soon Shen backstabbed his friend and ascended the position and the situation started to become ugly.
The Second Prince knew Shens capability more than anyone else and so he pulled some strings to put Shen as the General of the Southern Front where there wasnt any battle and Shen didnt need to be stationed here and act as General and mess up things in case of war.
The only good thing for Alex was that Shen was in Kinley lying in luxury.
With weary bodies, they entered the inn to take a rest and Alex gave leeway to them.
They could enjoy today but before that Alex sent them to collect the information and power structure of this place.
We will rest today and we will head to the Western Garrison unit at sunrise tomorrow.
The inn was quite large and it wasnt shabby in any way. It was a place where nobles took a rest but Alex didnt give a damn to spend the fortune for his people.
If a noble wanted to nitpick Alex would welcome the friend with open arms after all it would provide a good way to have some chit-chat.
As everyone dispersed, Riya sat beside Alex beside him and whisperedAlex, do you think that we would be attacked.
I still havent found anyone keeping the tabs but it will be different from here. Shen would start to squeeze us slowly. Since this place is peaceful and he doesnt have anything to divert his attention, he will surely keep an eye on us.
Alex closed his eyes to ponder a bit when he heard loud yelling and shouting from the front.
THUD!
KWANG!
Alex could hear the sound of a pig squealing and yelling at the front.
Are you blind? Son of bitch, dont you know who I am? I am Meller Ubh. I am the First Prince of the Kingdom of Nebraska. How can you say that there is no more room available?
Make space for my rooms and throw these peasants out of here. Do you think a noble like me can stay with them? Throw everyone out?
But Lord!
Shut up and throw them out otherwise my people will throw them out.
The situation was quite obvious. With Alexs men staying here, the place was full and other nobles werent able to rent the inn.
As soon as he saw Alexs men looked like peasants, he started to cause a ruckus.
My Lord, he called you a peasant? Royal switched herself from wife mode to super-assassin maid mode and spoke with a venomous gaze.
My Lord, do you want me to cut off his head?
Riya, seeing Alexs disapproval, spoke with a pleading gazeThan a limb or should I cut his foul tongue.
The receptionist who was freaking out from the inside tried to calm Meller. He wasnt an idiot to anger a tiger for a hare.
Max, who was on the verge of an explosion, was stopped by Alex who appeared behind Meller like a ghost.
The guards surrounding Meller froze and flinched back seeing an anonymous man who appeared out of nowhere and they were even unable to react.
Meller felt a gentle tap on his shoulder and shook his fingerHey, Dery doesnt disturb me. Today, I will make this bastard know whom they are messing with.
Whom did you call a bastard?
Meller felt a chill down his spine and looked back to see two pairs of eyes staring at him coldly.
Who are you?
I am their Lord!
Meller gulped his saliva and observed the man with the thought that no matter how much strength he had, he couldnt touch him in this place.
I am telling you to get your men out of here as quickly as possible. This is the place where I will stay. I dont know where you come from but a maggot like you is blocking the space, see many other nobles want to rent this place but they are unable to, cause you have rented the place for your slave.
They have come to seek help from the almighty me. People, worship me like God in my land.
Alex stared at the group of nobles who were observing the situation and then looked at the man who wasnt even reaching his chest.
He didnt even have the height to speak such high words and call himself an Almighty. Are there still delusional people in this world?After all, some cant think of themselves as god just simply because of arrogance.
Alex could see that this man was brave. He didnt know whether he was ignoring the Leonhart emblem or he didnt even know about it.
In that case, shouldnt he do this duty faithfully and introduce himself?
I see! Alex muttered.
Meller nodded in satisfaction seeing the understanding look.
Alex tilted his head with a smile and saidIn this case, have a safe journey.
Meller who wasnt able to react to Alexs words suddenly felt his vision becoming dark and out of nowhere, he picked up and was thrown outside.
Similar actions followed one after another.
BANG!BANG!BANG!
Bodies shot after one another and fell outside the inn.
Listen here, Meller. It would be great if you know who you are messing with.
I am the King of Lionheart!
Meller groaned in pain and was about to unsheathe his sword to engage but he was stopped by his men.
Lord, please calm your anger. We have been disrespectful.
He is the King of Lionheart. The man at the age of 21 defeated Mark ranked 43 on Continental List and he is the Fifth Prince of Kinley..
I used to be Fifth Prince, dont say misleading words, Alex grumbled.
As soon as he heard these words, Meller became stiff and his eyes looked troubled as he stared at the man giving him an unfathomable aura.
Seeing Meller not backing, Alexs voice became harsh.
If you still want to pull out your sword you can but let me tell you a thing, you would lose that hand with which you will pull out the sword.
And yeah, if you want to wage war you can go on. My Leonhart is always ready to welcome you.
Mueller swallowed his saliva and his senses screamed that this man wasnt lying.
He looked at the other nobles beside him who also wanted to complain.
Do you all also have a problem?
They heard Alexs sharp words and tilted their gaze.
No, My lord you can stay here.
This inn is entirelyyours.
Mellers face became green with anger. They were the ones who boasted about his fame and pushed him forward asking for his help but now that he had fallen, they didnt even dare to look at him and even gave him a sneer and ridiculed him.
Still, he finally realised his mistake. He should have checked the other party before engaging.
These nobles might have deliberately pushed him forward and wanted to humiliate him for being arrogant.
Drunk in power he had never seen the immensity of the sky but seeing Alex, he has finally learnt a valuable lesson which might change his life for better or worse.
After gathering sufficient intel and a rough overview of the situation, Alex entered the Western Garrison quarters where the soldiers were on standby.
But contrary to Alexs meaning of standby, these people were doing nothing but standing and relaxing.
It seems they have a different understanding of standby.
Even the gates were left unguarded and there were no people on the top of the wall except a few who seemed to be sleeping at their posts having a nice afternoon nap.
This was a place where one came to enjoy. They are just here because they are forced, not because they wanted to stay here and guard the borders.
With people guarding the borders like this, its no wonder, Sean said that Kinley is becoming hollow and still stuck up in its pride and arrogance thinking that they are the strongest Empire in the world.
Alex was accompanied by some other nobles from nearby states who were forced to come here before going to their designated post.
Meller and some nobles he met in the inn were also there with him.
Soon, a man appeared and greeted them.
I am Earl Ruth Bell, the commander of the Western Garrison Centre. It is the place where basic military training is taught to the soldiers deployed on the Western Front. Those who are assigned to this place have to take a compulsory one-month of training before being assigned to the unit and spend the rest of the time in service.
After the speech, the nobles grumbled about being forced to train. These people were lucky to stand here as reserve troops otherwise due to the battles on other fronts, there were no reserve troops and if things escalated, the troops from the Kingdom and other fronts may be called.
As Alex observed the soldiers, his expression distorted. These people didnt look like soldiers.
Even the farmer of his Kingdom was in better shape than these fat balls.
Their eyes were dead and they seemed to be bored to death.
Far from the thought of danger and swinging their swords on the battlefield, these people were yawning with a boring look.
These are not entirely their fault. It must be because of that scum Shen.
When the boss is lazy, the workers under him are bound to get lazy.
There are some facts you must keep in mind.Whatever may be the status you have out there, here you are nothing but ordinary soldiers who follow the rules of a soldier performing military service. Those who break the rules will be punished severely.
Rules my ass. If everyone followed rules then this place wouldnt look like this. Max grumbled faintly but soon he felt a sharp gaze and closed his mouth.
Cadet, what did you say? Ruth wasnt able to hear him fully so he looked at Max wondering if this man was asking something important.
He is going to die because of his unscrupulous mouth someday.Alex muttered inwardly while stepping into rescue.
Commander Ruth, I am from Zenith academy and I have a special letter for you from the centre. So, please can you give me atime to meet.
Okay! You come with me. Rest please go to your assigned dorms and have some rest. We will give you your schedule shortly.
Alex turned back and gave a sign seeing which Max started to sweat profusely.
Riya take care and be careful. Dont let these hyenas have a chance to bite us.
Yes, My Lord.
..
In the Commanders office.
Two men were present and deathly stillness lingered.
Ruth read the letter in which a series of commands were issued.
His hands trembled and he stared at the young man who stared at him viciously.
His eyes were enough to scare him out of his wits.
He had become Transcendent rank at the age of 42 and became the commander here but this man was already in the sample as real as him.
He wiped off the sweat and asked with a small laugh Sir Alex! This cant be fake, can it.
In the letter, it was said that Alex would have sufficient power to take most of the decisions on the whole Western Front.
But more than that he was shocked to see this man here. He had received a list but there wasnt any mention of his name.
In truth, his name was mentioned but not in the noble category but in the cadet category who come here for reserved forces.
This isnt the time to joke but seeing the situation around here, let me ask you a question.
Do you think guarding the border is a joke? Is this the way you guard the borders with these unfit soldiers?
No, no. They are just reserves who had already finished the training, the ones at the defence are quite fit. Ruth spoke with an assured tone.
Give me rough data. Did you observe anything odd in the recent months?
Ruth started to think about it and took out the reports along with documents he had received from the patrolling soldiers and handed them to Alex.
Alex skimmed through the papers. There wasnt anything crucial but his eyes stopped on the report made 19 days earlier.
Alexs eyes halted
[We caught the sight of a small number of soldiers sneaking out of their periphery. We engaged with them and they went back quickly without much ruckus]
26 Days ago
[The recon troops of the Arkham Empire crossed the border, they took some of the notes and went back by the time we caught them. Their intention was not clear and this was the 6th time this has happened.]
There werent any substantial signs of war but soldiers came out and scouted the lands.
This didnt increase the chance of war but at least this much was enough to make one alert.
Honestly, Alex analysed that if war broke out, it may be due to Demons breaking out through this front in some way or Arkham losing to Demons and getting occupied.
With a foot in the grave,Arkham shouldnt try to divert their attention if they have common sense but as Catherine said they may try to bring Kinley down with them.
Yeah, if only they have common sense but as usual things always went beyond one common sense when it comes to thinking like this.
Unless there is something shady going on underneath that he doesnt know, there might be a big event sweeping in here.
Alex fell into deep thoughts and looked at Ruth who shuddered meeting his gaze.
Did you report this to General Shen?
Huhhthat.
You hadnt reported this. Alexs voice became louder and he started to press Ruth with his gaze.
I have reported it.
So, what was his response?
Ruth took a deep breath before answering and spokeGeneral Shen said that they might be just loitering around for fun or might have lost their way.
Screech!
The paper in Alexs hand was squeezed while the armpit of the chair was crushed into powder.
Is this a joke? Do you expect me to laugh?
Ruth shook his head.
He had received a call from General Shen a few days ago who asked him not to anger this man and do as this man pleases after this man would be there just a few months.
He had warned him not to provoke him at any cost. Unfortunately, Ruth had let his guard down after not finding Alexs name on the nobles list.
If he had just gone through the difficulty to check the list in the cadet list, he would have rearranged the soldiers but he wondered whether this would make any difference as most of the soldiers here were already like this.
Alex didnt ask about Shen anymore as it would be like hitting the head on the wall.
Sir Ruth, please increase the patrol and convey each defence line to be prepared for any unexpected situation.
Ask them to put away the carelessness from tomorrow. The whole world right now is in a mess. We dont know what might hit us.
We need to start preparing for any unexpected situation.
I got it, Sir Alex. I will do as you say but I will be honest with you Sir Alex, most of the soldiers here are the old ones whereas the young ones are the cadets from various places or those who have come here after pulling various strings.Earl Ruth spoke with a grave expression.
Most of the people here dont have a sense of safety so this may take some time to put some sense into them.
Its okay. We cant expect change to happen right now. As long as we take steps to move forward, the changes will happen for sure.
Although Alex said this, he knew that they might not have the time for the changes to happen fully.
With the arrival of Dawn, Alex woke up early and along with Riya walked to the quarters assigned to the soldiers.
On his way, he looked at the empty training field.
Most of the soldiers and nobles were still asleep.
The time was too early for them to wake up and the atmosphere was still cold for them to train and even if someone woke up by mistake, they would just make excuses and go back to sleep.
He opened the door to the soldiers quarters and inside it, his people were still half asleep while trying their best to get up.
Except for Aeon and a new figure Brian who cried to accompany him, everyone else was still trying their best to wake up.
Meanwhile, the other soldiers were deep asleep and were having sweet dreams.
Their expressions looked so peaceful which looked as if they were sleeping in their homes, not on the borders.
A loud sound was heard as Alex tapped his foot reverting a loud noise which woke most of them up forcefully.
Creak!
Two minutes!
Yeah, thats what all of you have.
The Western Front was attacked and two out of seven defence lines have fallen.
So prepare yourself and come out as quickly as possible.
In an instant, the situation turned quite chaotic and except for a hundred people from Alexs side and another 89 who quickly poured their things trying to rush up, others were still in shock and disbelief.
Alex walked out as if nothing had happened after dropping a bomb by informing them of a life-and-death crisis, Ales just gazed at them with an indifferent expression and stared at everyone crossing his arms.
Seeing neatly lined soldiers consisting of soldiers trained here, Alex muttered inwardly.
At least, some of these dead horses still know just where they are.
This even surprised him as he didnt imagine that there were still some people with some sense.
As soon as they heard his words, just like his troops who reacted even if they were half asleep as if a switch had been pressed, these people also lined up quickly.
One by one, soldiers started to line up panting heavily after hearing his call.
You all seem to be too used to luxury that you have forgotten the life of soldiers who used to live in constant peril. Your enemies wont stop after seeing you sleeping or taking a rest.No matter what you are doing as long as you hear the danger bell, you should be prepared within a few minutes with weapons in your hands.
Yes, Sir!
We will not commit the mistake again.
The soldiers shouted quite loudly trying to please Alex after his blunt assessment. They could feel a hint of anger in his tone.
Alex stared at the 89 soldiers who seemed to be as disciplined as his troops and saidYou all, will be following the training schedule of my Soldier.
We will be following a different set of training. If anyone among you is interested in it, you are free to join.Alex spoke and turned back to walk towards the field along with Riya who was amused seeing the soldiers expression.
Most of them didnt think the new training was a big deal but Riya could already imagine their expression after quite some time.
The Western Garrison Training Field seemed to be a playground and holiday resort for his people but since he is here, he doesnt mind changing this playground to the fire ground of hell if required.
Alex and his soldiers training woke up the noble with loud noises.
Though they grumbled a bit, they had no option but to engage.
Offending Alex was akin to digging a cave. So, you either stay shut in or step out.
Johnson, The Instructor of the place stared at the scene and lamented.
This is a disaster!
Johnson stared at the nobles lying flat on the ground with a resigned expression. Everything about them was a mess. From posture to balance and stance.
Unlike other fronts, the awareness of the war in this area was quite nil and most of those who came here werent prepared to engage but to spend time in vain loitering around.
Most of the nobles who came as cadets were from the academy and were placed here due to the connections pulled by their houses to serve their voluntary military period safely.
At the least, they were still some decent bunch among them. But this time, most of the nobles came from neighbouring Kingdoms assigned by the centre. These people have grown complacent due to the peace and didnt have a good foundation.
As a result, the training was a mess.
He looked at the nobles and the troops accompanying them. The one-month training regime was quite well planned with basic physical training but it was all meaningless if the troops who were fighters cant even go through such a basic course.
The training was not implemented to improve the fighting capacities of a person in a month who had already been trained for a year but to allow them to form a bond among themselves, recognize each others abilities and get used to following orders and fighting in formation.
But most here were just trash, who only have some fancy ideas about wars after hearing the story.
I dont know why these people were posted here. It feels that this ruined place has become a dump yard for trash.
The nobles tried to train but gave up after an hour and started to chat among themselves as if this was a garden. The only thing they lacked was a slice of bread and coffee.
Johnson sighed and rotated his head and the sight that greeted him was really out of this place.
Soldiers running in lines, with huge weights over their shoulders drenched in sweat.
Instead of uneasiness, there was a sense of accomplishment and joy on their faces.
Unlike the clumsy ones, he saw earlier, the ones he saw now were full of vigour and confidence.
Even though the sun was shining brightly radiating scorching heat, none of them seemed to slack under the heavyweights.
What was surprising was that all of their powers had been sealed and they were nothing but similar common men here.
Their gazes were sharp and they looked to be ready for war.
At that time he heard Alexs loud voice.
Were you all slacking in my absence? Why are you walking slowly?
Alex spoke and asked Riya to release her pressure.
The weight over their shoulders seemed to increase and their backs arched. Due to the sudden assault, Alexs men were able to stand up slowly but the others who joined them newly fell to the ground with a loud thud.
When they accepted to train with them, they thought that it would be hard but the level of difficulty exceeded their expectation.
Normally, they run for 10 laps for 1km at the beginning. But Alexs soldiers had to run for 100 lapses with their powers sealed and the weight of 100 Kg on their soldiers.
It wasnt a difficult feat but doing this with your power sealed and your state being as similar to an unawakened was too much.
Johnson walked towards Alex and spoke, I dont think there is a need to overdo things.
If it was anyone else or a noble who talked to him arrogantly, Alex would have taught him a lesson but he had already seen the information about this man and knew him and his dedication so he decided to explain.
Though Johnson was quite satisfied with the way Alex trained his troops but seeing the near-death state of some of the soldiers he was acquainted with, he couldnt help but speak about it.
The soldiers who followed Alexs training were the only hope for this place and were proud of themselves for being the best among the best here but seeing them unable to follow and eat dirt, he thought that it might break their spirit.
Alex raised his eyebrows as he followed Johnsons gaze and saidEverything is difficult at first but once you are acquainted with it, even this hard regime may look simple.
On top of that, these young men need to come out of their shells now. If they dont learn about real things and broaden their outlook, they will just be frogs at the bottom of the well.
You might think of them as the best of the best here but as you have thought, they are best here but at other fronts, they can only be henchmen or carriers.
Johnson wanted to ask Alex to take a rest like the others dazing under the shade but seeing him persisting along with others made him feel ashamed.
He felt as if he was a third wheel who was stopping others from trying their best.
Alex stopped for a moment and said, Instructor Johnson, tell me what you think of the standard soldiers here. Leave the best one and talk about others.
Johnson shook his head and spoke, A soldier from another front can take two or three of the soldiers here.
I might be wrong as I have been holed up here but the soldiers here are hardly qualified to become guards somewhere else.
Have you received any commands from General Shen?Alex asked.
Within six years of taking over the post, General Shen had only come here two times. I havent seen him for the last two years.
Alex asked Johnson about some more things and instructed him to open the gates now.
He wanted to change the location of the training.
Alex and Johnson conversed a little and soon the training routine was changed from indoor to outdoor.
And this time, there was no exception for the soldiers. As long as a soldier was here to take the post, he was forced to undergo hellish training.
Alex decided to steel himself as the situation was a lot worse than he had expected.
Originally, they just had to warm up, run for a few lapses and practise with their weapons but now
Tap! Tap!Tap!Tap!
Hundreds of soldiers with two huge logs over their shoulders darted across the forest filled with traps.
After crossing the forest, they had to put down the log and start climbing up the mountains with a bag of heavy weights.
As if this was not enough after climbing up and down the mountain, they have to cross the river while swimming with the same heavy bags and the warm river had been brought to freezing temperature by Alexs handiwork.
Finishing this, you are free to do as you wish but the targeted ones had to practise their weapons skill.
Some soldiers werent even able to climb the mountains and their stamina was already depleted so they passed out.
For the first few days, most of them werent able to move their muscles at night and it took them six days to accept the reality that they were in hell under the clutches of the devil.
Arghh!
I cant do it!
One of the soldiers complaints roused the interest of many so formed a small team that sought Alex to complain.
As they approached the training field, they saw Alex standing with a sword in his hands from afar.
Gusts of wind were emanating from the place where he stood.
The soldiers who came to complain felt their anger rising.
Just look at this man. He said he would accompanyus in the training and would lead from the front but look at him now, he is just standing there.
He is just a scum like other nobles who dont keep their word.One of the soldiers spat and voiced out the grievance from afar.
You punk what did you say.
They heard a roar and found Max staring at them hungrily wanting to tear them into shreds.
What do you want to hit me for speaking the facts?
Hit me if you want at least I will be relinquished from the hellish nightmare and stay in the infirmary. One of the soldiers spoke while stepping forward.
Max wanted to crush the guy but he was stopped by Aeon.
If you have the strength to complain, you should better try to finish the routine so that you can rest early.
Finish the routine, do you think we areinhuman like you?
You have been training for years while we just trained for 4 years before coming here.
It might be easy for you but not for us.
Stop blabbering nonsense or I will rip your mouth, Max screamed.
You are saying that My Lord isnt training, huh Aeon narrowed his eyes and spoke.
Bring a bow and an arrow.
What are going to do with it?A soldier asked but Aeon didnt answer and just asked them to do it.
As they prepared the bow, Aeon stared at Alex and spoke Shoot the arrow at My Lord.
What!!
Are you sending us to death? We are going to be accused of attacking a noble and maybe punished to death.
The soldiers grumbled with horrified expressions. They felt that it was a trap set for them as they bad-mouthed their Lord.
I swear on My Lieges name that I will take responsibility for any mishap.
They swallowed their saliva and with great difficulty, they pulled the string and shot the arrow aiming at Alex.
Swish!
The arrow hurled its way towards Alex but before it could touch him a faint light glistened and it was cut into two halves instantly bewildering everyone out there.
Aeon smiled seeing their jaws wide open and spokeMy Lord is not standing there simply. He is swinging his sword which you are unable to see.
He follows the same set of motions. If you go there and look carefully closely, you will see blurry afterimages of his sword swing. He is just too fast for you to observe.
The soldiers were struck by thunder and were mortified for a moment.
And about training for years, you are correct. I have been training early but you see this bulky man here.
Two years ago, he was just a woodcutter which my Lord had picked up from the side.
And even my Lord started his training two years ago and before it, his mind was vegetative as you all know.
Max puffed his chest in arrogance but he choked on hearing the last words.
Picked from the side..what do you mean.
Lord came looking for me.
Aeon was unfazed by Maxs glare and saidNo matter whether you are early or late. You should do your best.
Tell me honestly, have you given your best in recent years?
All of them kept their mouths shut and looked at Alex with a hint of awe.
So, stop complaining and do what you are ordered. By the end of the month, you can see the changes you have undergone by yourself.
Everyone has gone through a lot in recent days. Unlike the other fronts, no battles are going on here. You will spend most of your days getting bored more than you think. There is not much luxury and entertainment, nor there is any good wine and drinks, still, the conditions are considerable for you to be able to spend your day comfortably loitering around.
Still, dont forget that this is the border and you are all the soldiers of Kinley. So, dont lose your guard or do anything that brings calamity here. Since you are posted as a soldier, at least try to act like one.
These were the words Earl Ruth had consistently repeated throughout the training course.
Alex could feel a hint of desperation and resignation from his words. Instead of advice, it looked more like a pleading from his end to knock some sense into them.
All of these people were assigned to the fourth defence line. Since it was quite far from the border out of a column of the 7th defence line. It was quite safe and risk-prone.
Most of the nobles were assigned here whereas the cadets and recruits were assigned to the 6th or 2nd defence line which is quite close to the border and are in a tactical position to provide support to others.
Alex had heard others talking about this place as if it was a holiday spot. There was an heir of a noble assigned here and he used his fathers wealth to modify the place.
He didnt upgrade the stronghold, rather he turned it into the party hold.
I will miss you a bit.
Alex backed down a bit seeing a nostalgic look in Johnsons eyes.
You are the first person who has undergone things seriously. Your spirit had woken many from their slumber and in the short time, you have shaped many soldiers here. It is rare to see a gentleman like you.
Here, take this.
Seeing Alexs confused look, he addedThis is a book containing some information about the Western Front, its terrain, secret hideouts and also the name of the people who work sincerely instead of lazing around.
Every time I find a worthy man in this dead land, I note them down. Now, I am passing it out. I feel you are going to need it soon.
Alex didnt know whether this man sensed something or not but Alex thanked him from the bottom of his heart.
Alex had asked his men for information about this man.
Johnson had a tragic history.
He was deployed at the Eastern Front and was a Sergeant. He fought brilliantly against Harolds assault and didnt give them an inch.
Back at his home, his son fell seriously ill and they sent letters for his help but Johnson who had dedicated his life to the border wasnt able to respond to it and his son died of illness.
After finishing the war and achieving a major achievement, he returned home only to find his son in the coffin.
His wife accused him and asked him to choose between their family consisting of her and his small daughter or the country, which made him fall in a pinch.
Seeing his hesitation, his wife left with his daughter and no matter how Johnson amended, she didnt return.
She feared that if she stayed with him, they would die helplessly with no one to take care of them.
With a broken heart, Johnson poured all his frustration on his enemies and achieved miraculous feats one after another.
As he reached fifty he decided to retire and went back to finally settle in with his family but only to find that his daughter had been married and their families had been living happily while his wife had gone on some journey.
A man like him belongs on the battlefield not anywhere.He always believed in this and decided to spend his life serving as an instructor teaching young soldiers.
Every time he sees some good lad, he is reminded of his dead son who also wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a soldier and serve the country but alas he passed away.
Alex, I can see your dedication to the lives of soldiers but because of this dont neglect your family.That was the last advice Johnson gave Alex before he departed.
And it was also what he advised many as he didnt want the young men to suffer the same faith as him.
Alex accepted Johnsons sincerity and pure kindness like this should be respected.
Not many good people like him remained. Alex knew that he had never shown anyone pure kindness and much of his kindness was due to responsibility or a way to seek profit in the future.
Alex liked Johnsons character and sincerely prayed to the Goddess Of Lust to give Johnson a chance to redeem himself.
He was at Transcendent rank and his wife seemed to be at Master rank so both still have a long life ahead.
Alex and the soldiers started the march towards the fourth defence line.
The troops had been deployed and all of them had to walk towards the defence line.
Warhorses and cavalry were valuable aspects so no horses were spared for them.
And even if there was a horse, a noble who tried to forcefully sit on a horse, would just be kicked down as evident during the training.
Damn! Why do I have to walk on my own? I am a noble. I should have my carriage.
The nobles grumbled on their way. Their soft feet which had never suffered till now started to hurt.
One of them was unable to carry on and ordered his soldiers to carry him on his shoulder.
Meller was also in their group and he was fairly surprised to see Meller becoming quite docile.
He was a bit chubby but his figure had changed a bit. He had taken part in Alexs exercise routine but he was unable to complete the set till the end, still, he had at least taken a step, unlike others.
After a long walk, they finally arrived at their destination.
Alex for a moment was paralysed seeing such a colourful sight. The walls had been painted green, and the watch towers had been decorated into a light tower used for parties.
The small sphere which can be used as a torch light to give a signal was now used as a disco light.
The spikes on the walls had been removed.
What the hell is this?
I think this is a place to party, Riya said helplessly.
This is a disgrace. We will take down these things as soon as we reach here. Alex ordered his men with a frustrated expression.
After reaching the place, everyone tried to accommodate.
They rested comfortably and under Alexs strict orders, the place was starting to be fixed.
It had hardly become alright after being worked upon for two days when the danger knocked on the door.
TANG!TANG!TANG!TANG!
Emergency!
The sounds of the bell ringing loudly could be heard and everyone started to run around like a headless chicken here and there.
The nobles wonder what happened when an officer appeared in a pale place.
Just now, Arkham. The Empire had attacked and taken down the First defence line.7th and 6thline is currently in a stalemate and soon they might find their way here.
The moment everyone heard the news, they felt as if they had been pushed into a death trap.
So, its finally here,Alex muttered with a helpless look.
Two hours ago, when the sun was in the middle of the sky glistening brightly, soldiers who were on the first defence line walked to and fro and patrolled the area with bored expressions.
This place had always been boring for them. With no one in sight, they just converse among themselves.
Most of them were drowsy, due to the boring surroundings. In a place like this, there was no need to hold their drowsiness, so most of the senior officials were already having sweet dreams after leaving the younger ones to guard the post.
Hush! Taking a deep breath a soldier spoke.
The weather is quite pleasant today. It would be nice to go for a picnic or a party. Have some good food and laze around but all we have to do is waste time here on this barren land.
Hey, dont say that. If the superior listened to it we would be punished.The soldier beside him interrupted him and asked him to keep his voice.
The soldier who was patrolling around suddenly noticed something was missing and his eyes widened.
Although he couldnt see anything, he felt a light vibration. He kneeled and put his ear on the ground and heard a faint sound.
A group is coming, I have to report it quickly.
Notifying everyone beside him, he looked for his senior officer in the fort, who was drooling with his head on the table.
Senior, get up. We are in trouble.
just how much time had passed?He cracked his shoulders and tried to get up in his half-sleep state.
At the time, the window shined brightly.
He saw a huge fiery bright light and spoke Did you wake me up to see the fireworks?It had been a while since I saw something like this.
Sir, thats not a firework, it is an attack from the flare.The soldier beside him screamed in panic.
What! The man suddenly screamed and his heart drowned in fear as the bright light appeared before them in an instant and hit the walls.
BOOM!
The entire place shook violently.
When he woke up forcefully, he thought of punishing the man but looking at the scene outside the fortress, he was utterly speechless.
Far away he could see thousands of people lining up and attacking the place.
Behind them, flares were already lit up aiming to take down the walls.
He stared at them and with a single glance, he recognised the forces with the flag of Arkham Empire.
He was dumbfounded for a moment and shoutedCall the commander, contact the general.
Ask troops to send the message to the other defence lines.
Yes Sir! The soldier shouted and immediately ran away along with others to relay the orders.
Even though the enemy had crossed the borders and come closer to the radius of a kilometre, their presence went unnoticed.
The commander who was greatly displeased by the sudden change came out hurriedly trying to organise the troops.
What the hell are the scouts doing?He screamed.
If not for the current situation, he would kill them first.
Viscount Lukin, the commander of the first defence confirmed the things happening before his eyes with a pale face.
The enemy took advantage of their lax duties and sneaked in after the scouts return after which there was no shift.
Moreover, they seemed to be a wide area of invisible mask cloak spells.
He took the mana signalling stone and tried to relay the information to the centre but it made a buzzing sound and didnt connect.
He tried again and again but the communication fell and his heart started to sink in despair.
Damn! He cursed and threw the stone.
The huge armies were drawing near was menacing and according to the rule, they should act immediately and attack them first and prevent the wall from falling.
But if he attacked now, it would begin the war due to his order. And what if the Arkham Empire justified this as an army drill and accused them of starting the war?
He wanted to ask directions from the capital and do what they said. After all, he cant bear the sin if this wasnt an attack.
Commander Lukin, we need to attack. They are coming closer. If we hesitate now, they will soon breach us easily.
Lukin gritted his teeth in anger and saidDeploy the archers and prepare to attack. Just pull the bows but dont engage.
I am repeating. Dont engage.He shouted
Give them a warning first.
We retaliate if they attack first.
A loud warning was heard from the place which asked the enemies to disengage but soon he realized that he had made a stupid mistake.
The enemies had no intention of talking as the distance to the fortress became closer, they rang the trumpet and the commander of the opposite side ordered them to charge at the enemies in unison.
THUD!THUD!THUD!
The earth started to shake due to large strides and soon the war blew out.
It was a full-scale attack.
It all happened in an instant and the soldiers from the Arkham Empire all rushed through with the siege weapons which astounded Kinleys soldiers greatly.
They were too shocked to react as they had never imagined a scene like this.
Lukin quickly came to his senses and ordered the attack without any mercy.
Everyone fires the arrows.
Fire our flares.
Mage, take your position.
Dont hold back anything. Wipe out the invaders.
Hundreds of arrows and projectiles rose in the air and fell over the flock of enemies.
Even though there was a menacing sight threatening their lives, they didnt fall back and raised their shield in formation trying to counter the attack.
Most of the arrows couldnt even reach them and fell before, while those who managed to reach the other side didnt contain much momentum to deal the damage.
This wasnt just a lack of training but also due to carelessness in situation awareness. Just seeing such a sight causes many to tremble.
How could an archer aim properly, with trembling hands?
While their flares were still charging, the flares from the other sides started the bombardment.
The fire spread all around, dust started to rise high up into the sky and the situation was a mess.
The weapons and armaments were not prepared in advance and soon soldiers ran out of arrows and hurried back to get them.
Mages were exhausted quickly and soon ladders were placed on the walls and the enemies started to climb up.
Lukins face turned pale seeing the sight. He knew that if this went on, they wont last long.
He decides to send the messenger to ask for the reserve unit and inform the others while hoping for his men to be able to last long enough.
The en
emies have jammed their mana signal which increased their difficulty.
If they hadnt done this, they would already have reinforcements by now.
Kinleys soldiers went out and clashed against the enemies but with a single glance, one could notice that they were at a disadvantage.
Lukin, knew that it was a reality and they were on losing ends and because of their carelessness and incompetence, many would lose their lives.
And it didnt even take two hours for Arkham to break through the gates and conquer the first defence line.
The First Defence line was unable to defend against the enemys onslaught and was completely crushed and taken over within two hours of the attack.
They were unable to defend against the wave of enemies and the flag of Arkham was already fluttering on the fort.
The Seven Defense Lines stood side by side covering the entire border.
The distance between each line varied from 100-400 Km.
First, the Sixth and Seventh defence line was attacked at the same time.
The seventh and Sixth were able to hold on while the first one fell easily.
The Commander attacking the First Defense line became overconfident due to taking over the place with minimal loss. So, he took another step forward and went on to attack the Second Defence line and tried to wind up things quickly.
Since the signal had been jammed, the Defense line was attacked and others werent able to send the signal due to the mana signal jammer device.
Only when the Messenger carrying the news entered the other lines, the news was paused and it caused chaos all over the place.
At the same time, as soon as they heard that the First Defense line fell, Alex along with others hurried their way to provide support.
The nobles were out of breath. Even though they didnt want to, they had to run for a long time.
The fourth defence line was at the back so the distance to the other was naturally greater. To reach others quickly, they had been running as fast as they could.
The officer said that it would take six hours to go there and after running for around three hours, there were more than three hours to go.
The nobles swore a lot inwardly. They were in the reserve forces and due to an emergency, they were forced to gather up and move.
They thought it would be an enjoyable vacation but the reality struck them hard.
Meller, who was among the nobles, gritted his teeth and while others were complaining, he was looking for another thing.
Can Alex reach there on time? Would it make any difference even if he reached there?
As soon as he heard the news, Alex led his troops and ran straight towards the Second Defense line instead of the first. By the time they received the news that the First Defence had fallen, Alex predicted that the Second Defense Line would be next and the Third Defence line might not provide any help to salvage the situation.
The Third Defense didnt send any troops and tried to keep their men and began the preparation to defend.
And things went as he predicted and they received the news that Arkham soldiers were moving towards the Second Defense line.
Most of the soldiers were unable to keep up with Alexs march and those who were left behind were being led by the nobles.
Only 900 men were able to keep up with the pace and despite several oppositions, Alex took all the war horses to reach the place quicker.
While Alex was training hard, the nobles were lazing around and we were out of shape and as soon as the signal was sent, Alex was the first one to reach where they were gasping to take a breath and rolling on the ground and looked as if they were not on the verge of dying.
Some of them were so exhausted that they ordered the soldiers and their men to carry them forward.
.
In the Second Defence Line.
The smoke of war had already reached the place.
BANG!
BOOM!
Smash the gates into pieces, my man.
Destroy your enemies.
The Arkham Commander ordered his troops who were pushing back the troops of Kinley.
BANG!BANG!BANG!
Large shots were fired one after another which exploded onto the walls.
They didnt set the siege or ladders due to archers posing a threat unlike the previous times so they used flares to break down the walls causing chaos and then smashing the gates.
After decimating the wall, and taking down the soldiers, Arkham soldiers deployed the seize and ladder.
The gates which were made of iron had been rusted and their durability had decreased a lot due to negligent maintenance, and Arkham soldiers knocked down the gates into tatters with just a few hits from the seized weapons.
Due to the flares, the archers were all winded up and the remaining ones stepped back due to the assault of flares and archers from the other sides.
That was where the hell began.
Ladders were soon out on the walls and enemies started to pour in from all sides.
Screams and roars of enemy forces rushing up from gates like tides could be heard from all sides.
Even though the soldiers of Kinley gave their all and fought, they werent cut for battle due to losing their touch and soon found themselves in despair.
The Commander Of Second Defence, Count Macon started to lose his heart.
His face became pale as a sheet of paper.
He was a man who never imposed any military orders and embezzled all the funds sent for the military to his house and grew richer and richer.
He lived in luxury and comfort without the fear of anything.
There was no war going around here so what was the need to waste money on the military?
Its all over.
I cant die here in this place. I have a long life to live. I have a ton of riches lying around.
Holding onto this place is nothing but suicide, I need to run away from here.
He made a quick judgement and instead of thinking about ways to correct the situation, he focused on his survival.
Count Macon shoutedDont let them cross the place. Many lives would be in peril. If required, we will lay our lives on the line.
Contrary to his words, he sneaked out.
Following him, his men started to run away quickly with him.
He tried to get through the back of the Defense lines.
Commander, where are you going?
We need your orders. You cant leave your post.
Some people asked him that but he lied to all of them saying that he was going out to inform the Centre as the mana stone isnt working.
But an official seeing his frustrated expression knew something was amiss and tried to pull him.
The flares changed their projection and instead of firing at the front, started to fire at the back causing the walls at the place to break apart.
Due to the faint tremors, he was horrified and spoke without any thought.
I need to get out of here.
His words were heard by others who were risking their lives.
Some soldiers tried to gang upon him and pinned him down but they were not his match.
You are leaving us and running away.
Macon immediately reacted and hit the soldiers and threw them away.
The official stumbled back and fell from the wall and landed on the ground among the sea of people.
His hands broke due to the fall and he screamed in panic, seeing enemies rushing from all sides.
On top of the wall, another huge fireball was coming towards them.
He along with many gave up on hope as they felt they would die as soon as the ball fell on them but
A straight light flashed through the fireball and then the fire exploded into pieces.
The soldiers of Kinley who were fighting with Arkham soldiers sensed something amiss and in the next instant, they were frightened after witnessing such a mysterious scene.
Swish!Swish!Swish!
Like wind brushing past them, something went past the group of soldiers who were clashing against one another.
Everything stopped at that moment and an instant later heads started to drop and roll on the ground.
Leaving behind a dark line of aura, a figure mood in a zig and zag manner and each swing of her blade seized the life of someone.
The huge shot fired by the flare was cut open and a figure appeared over the broken ruins who was staring at the scene solemnly.
As soon as Alex got the news, he rushed towards the war front like a maniac. Even his soldiers werent able to keep up with him except Riya.
Instead of riding on the horse, he left them to his soldiers who were trying their best to catch up to Alex who along with Riya dashed towards the Second Defense Line.
Alex knew that the Western Front lacked a sense of defence in everyone but still, he hadnt imagined that the places would start to fall like sheets of paper.
A huge fortress with walls of over thirty metres was in tatters. If he came a few moments later these places would already become the territory of Arkham.
There was no need for reserve or reinforcement as with the way Arkham waged the war and the way the troops are here, no one would pose many challenges to them. And to add salt further to the wound, three out of seven commanders are entirely rotten.
Alex stared at three flares with a stern look and raised his hand, he twirled his fingers.
Mana gushed out from him and as the distance was quite greater, he had to put a greater amount of effort to cast the spell.
[Earthen Pit]
The Arkham soldiers who were around Flare suddenly felt a small rumble on the ground and before they could react, a huge pit appeared out of nowhere underneath them.
The flare along with soldiers around it sank into it and cried out helplessly.
Although the Flares werent destroyed entirely, still it was more than enough to keep them at bay for the time being.
Count Macon found a newfound hope seeing Alexs arrival and a big smile blossomed on his face.
Are you from the reserve units?
He wiped off his sweat and askedAre you a senior official or the leader of the soldiers? I order you to guide me to the rear camp. My survival is of utmost importance. This place has already fallen and there is no need to waste time here. We need to send a message to the General and Royal Family.
Alex stared at Macon with a dark expression.
Alex stared at him for a moment and shifted his gaze, turning a blind eye towards him.
Second Defence Line, My name is Alex Von Leonheart. From this point, I am the acting Commander of the place.
And with the power bestowed by The Emperor, you will be under my orders.
Now unsheathe your sword and pull yourself together. There is no road of retreat for us. The only one who should go back is the enemy. Alex spoke while pointing his sword at the enemy soldiers who stared at him with a baffled looks.
Alexs eyes narrowed as he saw an expression of disbelief on everyone
You are wondering whether I am capable enough to lead you, huh!
Then let me show you the might and you can judge whether I am worthy or not Alex kicked the stone into pieces and his body shot towards the battlefield like a cannon.
Fight back with me.
Count Macon who was stupefied for a moment after hearing Alexs speech started to scream.
You cheeky son of bitch! I am the commander here. How dare you act arrogantlyin front of me.
Who the hell do you think you are? You measly lowly ant, how dare you call yourself the commander of the place in front of my presence.
Soldiers, I order you to step forward and behead this man. Kill him, he is a traitor. Count Macon shouted like a maniac who had lost his mind.
Shut up!!
A huge bulky man appeared behind him and roared angrily.
Count Macon heard a loud voice from the back and turned around to see the person but before he could turn around.
BANG!
His head was hit and he was smashed into the ground.
Aeon along with the troops managed to reach on time. Behind them were 1000 men from the reserve unit and 300 more from the Third Defence Unit who decided to lend a hand.
Except for Alexs troops and other few, most of them were already exhausted due to the long run and were breathing heavily.
Still, they were glad that they were able to persist till now.
Aeon looked at Macon and his men who were flying and his eyes turned cold.
Men arrest them and lock them up quickly.
My Liege will judge them and punish them after everything is over, Aeon ordered and asked the man behind him to follow him to slay the enemies.
The battle at the defence line had been going on for one hour. The defending side could have delayed and dragged the fight but under the lousy commander and insufficient preparation, the wall was breached easily and as soon as they crossed the defence line, it turned into a one-side slaughter
Khmmm!
Kuakk!
Arghh!
Piercing cries of agony and pleas for mercy accompanied by the bluster of screams came from every direction. Under the relentless attack of Arkham soldiers, the morale of the soldiers on Kinleys side was at an all-time low.
The Soldiers of Arkham were mercilessly slaughtering Kinleys soldiers and the enemies were constantly rushing through the gates.
The flares on Kinleys sides had already been broken before they could be used to their potential when the battle had already advanced to the point that the archers couldnt do anything.
Still, the soldiers were fighting desperately till the end as they were ordered even though most of them didnt know that their commander had already abandoned them and was about to sneak away.
Although they were rusty and out of shape, they werent disloyal and were prepared to lay down their lives for the Empire.
They knew that if the enemies crossed the lands, the first targets that were going to die were none other than their families as most of them belonged to the nearby land.
HuffHuff..
The soldiers were out of breath as they tried to move their bodies to swing the sword.
They were trying their best to cut down their enemies one after another but still, they werent able to keep it up as the enemies were rushing from all around.
Finally, after cutting the enemies, they started to slow down as extreme fatigue overwhelmed them.
As they were about to fall and accept the enemies sword stabbing towards them, a line appeared before them and all the swords aiming at them were cut apart
Kukkk!
Paukk!
The enemies spat blood and rolled down on the ground.
The group were able to take a look when a blonde-haired man passed by them as swiftly as lightning.
The gates had already been breached, the walls inside were almost destroyed. There was no time for Alex to think and strategize.
Since it had already come to this, there was no need to waste time on strategy.
There was one thing he could do now and he was also the best at it.
Slaughter!
Running ahead like a madman, his loud sound echoed everywhere sending chills to everyone.
I will take the lead. Those who can fight, follow me and take down the enemy and those who are injured retreat back.
There was no one below Master rank at this place.
The rank of soldier varied from Master to Transcendent and there might be one or two legendary ranks at the rear guarding the commander.
So What!
Its not as if he gives a damn.
Alex jumped and ran ahead. He swings his sword at the three who jumped towards him.
KUKHK!
Alexs body slides through the gap between the enemy formation while tearing their throats and slicing them skilfully.
Anyone that stepped before him got their throats sliced with a single swing.
And soon it started the beginning of the literal massacre on the battlefield.
Alex was like a wolf who had found a flock of sheep to hunt much to his hearts content, he was hurrying ahead while slashing his sword at any enemy that caught his sight.
There were almost no wasted movements and no unnecessary swings. Every time he slashed his sword, the movement was short, simple and precise.
He didnt use powerful strokes to tear everything but sliced at the gaps in the armour and each of his attacks aimed at the opponents weakness.
If he couldnt slit the throat, he would aim for the shoulder pockets, if he couldnt pierce through the armour, he would attack the face and if the face was covered with a helmet, he would dig his sword into the two eyelids holes of the helmet.
Bodies fell on the ground where Alex passed through.
He fought like a lone wolf taking on everyone alone.
Even though he was hurrying ahead, he was taking reasonable intervals when he needed to and kept on observing his surroundings and would also take note to keep a sufficient distance from other soldiers.
Behind him, Max and Aeon have divided the troops into two battalions clamouring from the two sides.
While Alex was attacking from the middle, they took on the left and right wing of the formation while trying their best to follow Alexs pace.
With their combined effort, they tried to push the enemies through the gates.
Meanwhile, Riya stood on the walls and looked around to take care of the leftover enemies in the area while giving the Kinleys soldiers achance to retreat and for those who had exhausted themselves to take a moment to recover.
Since the castle along with important places had fallen, the injured and wounded could only step back now.
Riya stared down and glanced atAlex piercing through the horde of enemies like a sharp-edged arrow and looked up to glance at the other side outside the walls.
Her eyes caught the sight of the two Legendary ranks of Knights who were watching the battle with blank expressions. They stood close by a person who was at Transcendent rank and might be the commander of the opposite side.
Suddenly, their gaze shifted from the battlefield towards her.
Maybe they had thought that it was a meaningless struggle of the weak and fallen.
Riya could perceive from their gaze that they were considering her as the only threat now.
They might already be planning to draw her away and deal with her.
Alex knew as soon as Legendary ranks from their side appeared, the other side would be cautious of them and deploy their strong warriors.
They wouldnt engage meaningless until a threat appeared and before dealing with them, Ales wanted to take out the enemy numbers.
One needs to have sufficient insight or a Transcendent rank to become Commander but on the other front, one would find the commander only at Legendary ranks.
Only four Legendary rank Knights were deployed at Western in front of which none were present here.
So, in a desolate barren place like this, the presence of Riya was enough to raise their guard and they wondered whether there was more hiding around here.
But it didnt take them too long to understand who was the real threat to them.
My God!
Where did this beast come from?
He is dangerous. I repeat, he is dangerous.
Kill him first! Take him down before he would cause more damage.
The soldiers of the Arkham Empire soon realised that Alex wasnt an ordinary person.
Even though Alex was surrounded and he was attacked from all sides at the same time, the one that was killed was none other than the forces of Arkham Kingdom.
No, matter how many times they stacked, Alex slipped right under their nose with intrigued footwork and slashed them sneakily.
He pulled the corpses of the soldiers he killed and threw them at the enemy side as if these bodies were pieces of garbage.
The body slammed against the soldiers and pushed back. At first, they reacted quickly and raised their weapon to cut the corpses but they stopped as they realised that it belonged to their brother-in-arms.
And Alex rushed in seeing the opportunity and slashed.
Cowardly Swine!
How dare you defy my brothers corpse.
Their act of using the corpses as a defence shield by Alex greatly agitated them and for a moment they lost all their reason and tried to pounce on him.
In a span of twenty minutes, Alex had killed dozens of enemy soldiers. The blood of his enemies was dripping down from his sword and the armour he wore was tainted with blood.
Turk!
Puak!
Corpses started to roll one after another.
The soldiers from the Kinley side who were struggling to hold against the assault finally felt the burden over their shoulders lessening a bit.
Alexs eyes caught the sight of another group who was fighting bravely.
Alex remembered the Captain of the group was Barack and his friend from the notes given by Johnson.
Alex, like a gust of wind, rushed towards them.
Barack and his teammates were already left open due to the influx of enemies going towards Alex.
From afar, they saw a flock of soldiers gathering and ganging up on someone.
Captain Barack, who is this? Hud spoke with a startled look.
Barack saw the barrage of soldiers getting pushed by a single man who was making his way here.
Lets go, we should help him.
The enemies attacking us saw him as an imminent danger and went towards him.
We cant let the single ray of hope appearing here be extinguished. Barack raised his sword and his call was received by the men near him and they went towards Alex to help.
But as they moved near the radius of the battle between Alex and others, their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
What the hell is this?
Is he even a human?
A series of grasps escaped from their lips as before they could be engaged, heads rolled and started to fall on the ground like fruits.
The blood from the decapitated bodies started to reach towards.
With a large number of enemies entering the wall, Alex was pressing forward to cut them down.
They were stunned seeing the current situation. Even more shocking than the falling of the defence line was the massacre carried out by Alex.
Seeing the man, Barack wasnt able to remember anything about him but seeing the characteristics and features of the golden blonde hair, he started to wonder whether the man was a noble.
As Alex swept through everything, he stared at the vicinity and noticed Barack and his men coming towards him.
Are they idiots? I just freed a bit fromtheir burden and gave them some time to recover, I pulled the agro but like a moth flying towards the flame, they were coming towards here.
I have already taken a major chunk at the vanguard while Riya might have cleared the rear.
Alex reached them after stepping over the corpses of enemies and spoke.
Captain Barack. I am now acting as the Commander of the Defense line and since I am the new Commander here, I am asking you for advicein the current situation.
Seeing Alexs piercing gaze, Barack felt as if the man before him was testing him by asking him such a question in this situation.
Seeing his hesitation, Alex spoke, I am new here and your commander had already abandoned you all and was sneaking out but I caught him.
So as the next most senior official, I want your opinion,Alex spoke while slashing the spread along with the man who sneaked an attack on him.
Barack was flustered for a moment and squeezing out his courage, he saidSir Alex, as you can see, the situation seems to be quite bad on our side. If we think about the lives of the remaining soldiers here, I think it is best to retreat to the third defence line and try to stop their raid from there as you might already know once the third line falls, four cannot even offer a resistance.
But if we retreat, the enemies would conquer two defence lines which may prove to be quite crucial and if another one falls, they might be able to take a part of the western front.
We have a small forest along with a narrow hill pass in between the second and third defence line. They needed to clear the place to traverse through it and continue to supply the needs.
But with their numbers, it might be quite easier.
The only thing that we can do for the Kinley now is to sacrifice our lives and try to drag them down and lessen their numbers as much as we can. If we can push them through the gates, we might be able to repair the wall and put out some fences to form another line.
That was the only thing Barack could think of.
Alex looked around. There should be around 25,000 troops stationed here and looking at the mess, he was sure two-fifths of them were gone.
He didnt know the exact number but there were approximately 35-40,000 on the other side and if you take the number with which they started from the first defence line, there might be around 100,000 soldiers and half of them might be stationed at the first defence line which could act as reinforcement.
Alex closed his eyes for a moment and started to visualise the scenarios.
We will retreat.
His words shocked them a bit but they naturally agreed with him. It was a hopeless scenario, to begin with.
With a huge mass of enemies rushing ahead at them, how could they secure this place which was already in ruins?
But just then, he heard Alexs voice, Only if we cant win here.
But before that, we will take care of the things here.
I will secure the space for you. Barack gathers the mage and forms an earthen wall over the fences once we push out the enemies.
I am not much familiar with the troops here, so I order you to take charge and secure the space we clear and try to back up my forces who cut the way.
Barack along with his others couldnt help but be shocked as soon as they heard his words.
Everyone thought Alex was impulsive and it was just asking for death.
Trying to secure land now was akin to taking the bone from a monsters jaw while expecting to not get caught by the jaws.
Seeing their worried faces, Alex spokeI know what you are worried about but I am not one of those fools who throw away their lives for nothing. Even, I fear death.
So, trust me.
Your Highness.
Soon a group of soldiers arrived behind him drenched in blood with a fiery gaze. There were no wounded ones among them and no one was out of breath even though they came here over the swarm of enemies, rather each of them seemed to be filled with life and vitality.
Their eyes locked on everyone like a predator who is preparing to devour the prey.
Along with Alexs men, many others had been training under him in the Western Garrison Quarter and within the month of training, they started to shed away their laziness and pick the true spirit of the warrior.
Alex smiled a little seeing.
My men, the orders are simple.
We need to slaughter our way till the gate and push some people out of the house.
Can you do it?
Just push. I thought we would be kicking them out. Max shouted like a hungry wolf. The axe under him was shining and seemed to be gleaming joyfully and wanted to drink more blood.
So, what are you waiting for? Lets go.
Yes My Lord.
All of them shouted in unison and a burst of aura erupted from all of them that started to radiate throughout the place.
No one questioned Alex.No, one tried to speak against it even though the risk was quite great.
Fearwas there any need.
With their Lord who is akin to the messenger of Death leading from the front, was there a need to fear?
It should be enemies who should be prepared to suffer the blow and fear their Lords rampage.
Wait! Didnt you say that you will be acting Commander so why are rushing first? Barack asked as he felt that his brain had short-circuited after seeing Alexs aggressive demeanour
The commander stays at the back and gives the order so since when did a commander walk to the front?
Dont compare me to those cowards.
I am a King, a leader.
And a real leader leads from the front and clears the path for his men.
Alexs words baffled them, shocking them to their core.
Alex under their astonished gaze stepped ahead and charged followed by his men.
The gates were opened and thousands of Arkham soldiers were pouring in. Kinley soldiers who went out to defend had only been turned into corpses and the ones inside were already in their end ropes.
Against the thousands of Arkham soldiers, only 2000 Kinley soldiers were trying to defend themselves. The difference in number was quite vast.
The area around the walls and the Castle was soon taken over by Arkham.
While many were still fighting bravely, many were running away in fear and wanted to save their life.
They abandoned the others and ran back seeing the enemies who had flocked past them were taken care of.
Unlike the soldiers who were running away in fear, Alexs steps started to take pace, and his speed increased by several folds in an instant.
The soldiers feeling away were perplexed seeing a man running towards them like a madman.
They tried to give away while fleeing but Alex, carrying great momentum, slammed against them and swept them away.
Alex was already merciful for not killing them for abandoning their companions.
Leaving dust behind him, Alex emerged from the crowds of frantic soldiers who were running away and charged at the enemy.
The enemy soldiers were enjoying chasing after the soldiers of Kinley shouted in delight.
HahaWhat a fun game?
RunRunRun away from us.
The Arkham soldiers laughed gleefully and enjoyed the situation but their laugh didnt last long as something hit them in the chest and the ones at the front were sent back flying.