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Alex blinked his eyes a couple of times after seeing them.
Alex sidestepped and whispered into Riyas ears softly.
Riya, when did these clowns arrive?
Now it was Riyas time to be surprised.
Alex, I dont think this is a time to joke, Riya spoke and moved away a bit wondering what kind of crooked thought is being cooked in Alexs mind now.
Alex frowned seeing Riyas action.
No, he didnt know about them. Maybe he had forgotten about their existence or did they arrive now and didnt contribute to anything?
But whatever may be the case, their presence in itself was a shock for Alex as they were standing in a danger zone.
Alex maintained his professional front, and spoke What are you doing here?
Sir Alex since we all are part of reserve units. We have decided to follow you. We may still lack in many things but at least our presence can be of some help.Meller spoke, stepping forward.
Alex nodded.
He felt a bit satisfied seeing Meller change. If the parents teach their children properly, maybe they wouldnt be haughty.
Okay, you all can follow us but let me warn you. If you fall back, we will not stop for you and will just abandon you.
Yes!All of them shouted.
Alex and his men followed by ten thousand soldiers set out to leave the second defence line.
Alex had already given the nobles a warning and if they dared to nitpick now, he would just throw them out.
The nobles along with their troops were quickly left back.
Alex along with Barack who knew the area quite well was in the lead and everyone was moving according to their guidance.
They had gone through bushes and climbed steep slopes but for many, it was nothing compared to what they have gone through during the training of one month in the Garrison unit.
On the way, they looked for signs of war nearby and fortunately, Alex found out through the help of the scouts that the third and fourth defence lines hadnt been attacked.
The fifth defence was attacked but they were successful in repelling the enemies.
As they reached the rear, they heard the sound of a groan.
As soon as Alex heard the sound, he stopped his soldiers from a certain distance as he deemed it necessary to know the identity of the person.
He is a soldier from the sixth defence line.
Some people recognized him at once.
And surprisingly he wasnt alone and there were almost a hundred figures with him.
The conditions of the soldiers looked quite pitiful. Their clothes had been stained with blood and their faces were pale.
Alex issued his men to hurry and they started to check their conditions. Although all of them were injured, there were not any life-threatening wounds. Alexs men performed the first ad and after diluting the healing potions and paste, they applied them over the wounds.
Seeing their condition stabilised, Alex askedWhat happened?
The soldier looked at Alex and his troops and their eyes became hazy.
Their hearts teared up as they tried to speakThe sixth defence line is no more. It wasnt war. We were able to hold them initially but once the gates were opened, we were butchered. It was a massacre.
Commander Terry fought till last breath and brought us some time to escape. We wanted to live and accompany him to the afterlife, buthe made us swear to live and take revenge for him rather than waste our life.
As soon as he finished his sentence, his eyes became swollen and all of them started to grieve for their dead comrades.
They have been alive because their brother-in-arms sacrificed their lives. They owed them a lot and they wanted to pay back the enemy but was there even a way for them to achieve this as they are getting beaten from all sides?
The soldiers from the second defence line once again thought about Alexs presence as it was only because of him they were able to stay alive.
You can cry and grieve as much as you want today. Once you are done, be prepared to raise your sword to take the lives of the enemy.
You will get your chance to take revenge. Believe me, you will soon have your chance. And for that, start preparing yourself mentally from now.Alex tried to motivate them and lift their spirits.
After taking a short break, Alex asked everyone to speed up as he wanted to reach the Garrison unit before nightfall.
They were able to make it in time. Although the sun was setting and everything had become dark, they were able to make it in time.
But Alexs expression was stiffened as he saw flames from afar.
And as his men drew near, he could see the whole of Fort surrounded by the enemies.
Alex felt as if he had been struck by lightning as he saw the scene.
The Western Garrison units serve as a communication and act as a reserve so it was at the back of the Western Front but even a place like this was attacked.
This implied that most of the defence line had fallen and these Defence lines were unable to maintain the task for which they were made.
The Arkham kingdom had attacked four defence lines at once and one of the units had crossed the defence line and reached here.
But how is this possible for them to reach here so fast? I will think about it once the war starts.
Alex pulled out his sword and orderedRaise your swords and slay the enemies.We greatly outnumber the opposing force so our victory is already determined.
So, just rush there and crush them down.
The enemies who were surrounding the fort suddenly heard a loud noise from afar and as they looked back, their eyes almost bulged seeing a huge mass of enemy soldiers.
Some stood rooted on the ground while some reacted quickly but they were swept as if they were nothing.
Inside the Wester Garrison Quarters, they were still survivors and were giving their best to live.
Standing at the training field, stood many who were surrounded by enemies from all sides.
They were exhaling harshly and their condition looked quite dire. The armour on their body had been torn off and their bare skin was revealed with blood continuing to flow from their wounds.
Why dont you all just die?
Its just a meaningless struggle.
The Arkham soldiers were mocking them and enjoyed the situation thoroughly.
The Kinley soldiers could feel their vision becoming blurry and their throats going dry.
Johnson who was among them jumped first.
Come one bastard, we will risk our lives to take you with us. Which asshole is going to step forward.
The Kinley soldiers screamed in anger and pounced on Arkham soldiers crazily.
All of them swing their swords like mad men.
Usually, a person who had no reason to live and a person who is willing to risk his life were the most dangerous when pushed into the corner and Arkham soldiers were experiencing this.
A handful of Kinleys soldiers fought like wounded tigers but it was meaningless as they could feel strength escaping from their bodies.
Just then, they heard loud shrieks coming from outside.
Kuak!
Pauk!
The Arkham soldiers standing near the gates were blown away like rag dolls.
A red line emerges from a man who charged in like a god of death taking down the lives of the Arkham soldiers as if they were nothing but ants.
Alex had taken the shortest route possible to the rear which had been filled with danger but even after all of this, he was a step late.
He had always thought of the worst possible outcomes but this was even out of his expectation.
The Western Garrison units were in ruin. Bodies of soldiers were scattered everywhere.
As soon as he found some survivors, he quickly ordered everyone to clear out the remaining enemies and rescue the survivors as soon as possible.
Max and Aeon quickly took the charge and ordered the troops to spread around.
Rescuing and finding the reminding warriors took precedence over the killing.
Alex and Riya cleared out the ones inside. They found the corpse of Arkham soldiers lying inside but most of them belonged to Kinley and Alex could see the tactic of Arkham soldiers worked well.
Cutting the reserve forces of Wester Garrison was akin to cutting off the root.
Alex was greeted by the sight of the familiar people who had trained with him.
He soon found Johnson along with a few people near the training field surrounded by enemies.
All of them were exhausted and their armour was in tatters.
Hearing the sound of Alex and Riyas steps, a commotion broke out among Arkham soldiers.
What!!! Reinforcements are already here?
How is this possible?
The Arkham soldiers were startled and they grasped in the cold air as Alex and Riya walked alone.
But where are they?
One of them questioned but it didnt take too long for them to find out as soon as Alex and Riya appeared before with the swing of their weapons, the heads of Arkham soldiers started to separate one by one.
Arkham soldiers were bewildered as according to their calculations no reinforcements should have arrived here as the Defence line was attacked and they were still in a fierce struggle against them so it made no sense for them to get here.
Johnson, who was already in his last breath, was fighting fiercely trying to save the young soldiers behind him.
He was trading blows against the blows that were bad. He had gained big cuts all over his body. He had been using one hand to cover the abdomen to stop his organs from falling while using the other to strike the enemies.
But he was perplexed to notice that the enemy soldiers influx decreased and they turned back to point their blades towards a person filled with hostility.
Johnson along with the others was stunned for a moment as Alex took turns looking at them
Thank la heaven! He is still alright.
Although Alex was drenched in blood and his face looked haggard, Johnson could feel the strong aura and spirit from him when he started to march.
Alex and Riya made their move and although Arkham soldiers warned them to kill Johnson and others, Alex didnt stop and directly appeared before them.
Alex smashed the soldiers while Riya started her butchering as usual.
Johnson didnt sit still and clenched his teeth, he pushed himself for the last time and clashed with enemies.
THUD!
Huff.Huff
Johnson along with others lay down flat on the ground. Their mind was hazy and they felt as if they were on the last run.
They could feel the approach of death and be sure that once they closed their eyes, they wouldnt wake up again.
As they were closing their eyes, Alex appeared in their blurry vision.
You can take a rest. Leave everything to me for now.Alex muttered while waving his head.
The bodies of Johnson and others were engulfed with a bright golden light and they felt a warm sensation spreading over their bodies, due to which they let go of their consciousness.
Alex started to sort out the mess immediately. After checking the entire training centre, they only found 60 survivors.
Out of1500 Arkham soldiers, all are dead except 10 we have left for the prisoner as per your order and there are 70 survivors from our side. Out of 3000 stationed here, they were sent to other defence lines with 500 left here. And we also found the corpse of the commander.
Aeon after giving a brief took them to the wall at the northern side of the wall where Commander Earl Ruth was pinned on the wall with many spears piercing him.
Alexs expression became cold as soon as he saw the scene.
Early Ruth can be said as negligent. But at least he wasnt a corrupt official and once Alex corrected him, he did his work diligently.
Bring him down and give everyone a proper burial.
Alex didnt speak anymore and just stared at the scene all around him silently.
Where are survivors from Arkham?
Yes, we locked them up.
Alex nodded and stepped into that building.
Riya take care of things here and can you lend me your dagger.
Here!
Thanks!
Creak!
The door to the building where Alex had gone was closed.
And as soon as Alex went in, the soldiers expression distorted and yelledTorture us as much as you can. Kill us! We will not speak about anything.
They shouted and screamed trying to scare Alex but he neither responded nor cared for their emotions.
Alex walked in and stood before the man who was barking loudly and without any warning, he slammed his knee on his face which exploded into thousands of pieces.
The grey and white matter of the brain along with the blood scattered and fell on everyone.
The entire place became quiet. The Arkham soldiers were so shocked that no words came out of their mouths.
It hadnt even started when this man killed one of them brutally.
Alex felt satisfied seeing the look on their face after the demonstrations and spoke in a cold tone.
I will give one minute to each person. The rules will be quite simple. I will ask a question and you will answer and if you give the answer that I had been expecting then I may let you live otherwise I will give you such a beautiful pain that death wouldnt be enough to free you from the pain.
Kill us if you want.
Bastard just kill me if you dare!
The soldiers kept on yelling but Alex was indifferent to their pleas and went towards one of them and askedWhat does Arkham want by waging such a war?
Just kill me!
The soldiers stayed tight-lipped. The soldiers had loyalty to the nation and naturally, they showed their resolve to never speak even in the face of death.
One minute passed quickly and once the time was over, Alex pressed him on the shoulder and spoke.
First thing, havent your parents taught you to respect elders and answer their questions?
The soldiers stared at Alex with an expression of shock and disbelief and wondered whether this was a man in his 20s or his appearance was just a facade.
Now since the time is up!
Please enjoy this beautiful moment and serve as an example for your friends.
Comrade, I hope your sacrifice wouldnt be in vain and your friend might not be an idiot like you, Alex spoke with a saddened expression and pressed his shoulder through his crimson mana flowing through the vein body.
The soldier at first felt a chilling current pass through his body. He didnt know what Alex meant before but his eyes almost bulged and it wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that he was feeling as if all his bones were being crushed and tearing up slowly.
Arghhhhhhhhh!
The man squealed and twitched like a fish taken out of the water.
Veins bulged all over his body and white foam trickled from his lips as he wriggled in deep pain with a blood-curdling scream.
Witchcraft!
All of them muttered and shuddered in fear.
Alex didnt know what bullshit they were thinking but they trembled seeing his gaze and saidDid you think I was just joking to scare you?
You all took the warning as a joke, didnt you?
All the bones in your body would be invaded by my mana and start to crack. Your muscles and tendons would be twisted and stretched. Your head would feel as if it had been splitting up. And under the combined effort of this, you will feel pain like never before and will die slowly.
On top of that, Alex had also attacked his soul. He could force a full barge into their souls and invade their memories but he didnt want to take risks for these measly pawns.
A crooked smile appeared on Alexs smile as he spokeDont think that this will last only for a moment. You will suffer like this for ten hours and even if you want, you cant become unconscious.
You are the ones who attacked Kinley first. You are the one who invaded here, so how dare you behave as if we are in the wrong. I will not show any of you a shred of mercy.
All the soldiers become stiff when they witness the live scene of the bestial scream of the man. He was quite strong, still, he was screaming and crying like a small kid.
Tell me why did you invade Kinley?
They all gulped their saliva at the question that came from the man who seemed to have become the God Of Death at the moment. For them, he was worse than the devil itself.
They could even see the embodiment of death right before their eyes. They wanted to cry and surrender but that was no longer an option for them.
One minute is over! Alex muttered and another started to scream.
Ahhhhhhh!
The others started to fall into despair and their bodies were shivering as if they were now in the land of ice.
One of them even wet his pants due to fear and as soon as Alex noticed it, he directly came toward him but he heard a groan from the other side and shouted.
Do you think you alone can change anything? All the defence lines will fall. The Western part would be occupied by Arkham. Even if you hear the plan from me you cant change the outcome.
We have already rallied our troops long ago.
We will strengthen with your fall and prosper.
Do you think, with dangers all around, Kinley will dare to send reinforcements to help you here? Haha! You are just delusional. You will all pay for the sin of being careless. You will die and this would become a shame that would taint you proud bastards of Kinley.
He laughed like a maniac which was mainly to hide his fear however, his smile didnt last long as Alex spoke with a smile.
Is your blabbering over?Can we get to the business?
I already know all of this shit. Tell me something which I dont know?
What?
And yeah I am waiting.
Do you think I will answer you bastard?
Seeing you are so confident means you wanted to occupy the entire Western Front, Alex muttered.
After crossing the border, you would raid the weaker Kingdoms. You are trying to occupy this land and plunder as much as you can to stop Arkham from collapsing.
The soldier lost his composure and his expression became stiff and pale. Alex already got a gist of it.
Catherine had guessed about this and now the reaction to this man made it sure.
What Alex wanted to know was how they appeared in the rear quickly and now hearing the mans words it seems they have been preparing for it a long these forces were already stationed here and those who attack here were decoys to throw the dust into their eyes.
Thanks for clearing the doubts, you all rest in peace now.
Kukk!
Alex used the so-called witchcraft and left the building while many were screaming in despair while begging the Gods to have mercy on them and grant them death.
As Alex walked out, Riya was standing and walking towards them.
Her eyes were saddened seeing the exhaustion on Alexs face.
Alex dragged his tired body and sat down at the side while Riya pressed and massaged his shoulder.
Did you get anything?
Not much! Alex muttered and started to explain.
The attack of the Defence lines was just a diversion. Their true purpose lay in the rear.They would soon sneak in after occupying the lines and start attacking the Kingdoms which would start to fall one by one.
And yeah they seemed to be heading towards Warp gate. And this attack was just to dust that attack in case any troops return.
They brought their troops from Warp gate and would keep on doing this until Kinley reacted. If Arkham succeeds, it would have a major juicy chunk of land that it could use to add a new life to Arkham.
Riya frowned and her hands massaging Alexs shoulder stopped for a moment.
WarrWarp gate. Are you sure that they are aiming for a warp gate?
All fronts had warp gates connected to the Centre. That was the reason why they were able to reach here in ten days otherwise, the distance from Zenith would take 25 days to cover.
p-a- n-d-a-n-0-v-e-l I am 80 per cent sure that they have attacked and already taken over the warp gates.
It means we are in trouble and going to be isolated, Riya spoke with sorrow.
Alexs blood becomes cold as he thought about the situation. The Western Front had now become quite dangerous.
On other fronts, the situation was at least in stalemate but they were now pushed into corners here.
Riya pondered for a moment and spoke with a heavy voice.
Alex, what if Arkham had made a deal with someone before attacking?
I mean they cant think of attacking Kinley out of nowhere without any allies or they would be isolated. They are relying on Kinleys surrender but what if the skirmish on other fronts in Kinley is over, then wouldnt Arkham be in grave danger?
Alex nodded on hearing Riyas wordsI am also afraid of that. They wouldnt make a deal with demons in this situation. Elves and Dwarves are clearly out of the picture.
And the only one remaining is Harold Empire, Riya muttered softly but it was more than enough to make the atmosphere heavy.
Haaa..
It seems that it would take too long to sort out the mess, Alex murmured and looked up.
I already miss them.
Riya warped all her hands around Alexs neck and mutteredMe too.
Between the border of Kinley and Arkham, there were many secret bases which had been built in advance.
The war that had been waged wasnt something that had been decided on a whim, rather it was planned for years and preparations had been taking place quite a long ago.
In one of those secluded bases.
Hundreds of people were currently residing in it and warp gates were being built in it.
Things were quite chaotic all around. And everyone around here is filled with anxiousness.
We just got the message that they have taken down the four defence lines and the people whom we had deployed from before, are heading towards the rear to form a base camp.
The Kinley seemed to be struggling to get back the defence lines and were unaware of the strategy. Also, our paratroopers had made sure to move towards the rear at night so that their movements couldnt be caught quickly.
From spies, we have got the message that Kinleys is not going to send reinforcements.
They said that General Shen still needs five days. It seems even luck is in our favour.
It seems the Central is still unaware of this.
A report came at the right time and soothes their anxious hearts.
Noah Ark, with a calm expression, stared at the map and fell into deep thought.
It seems, someone is blocking the news from their side. Maybe it is an internal struggle or maybe The General is just careless.
Your Highness, Isnt it good for us? The General standing beside him spoke.
No, its gonna make us careless. We dont know that mans motive but no matter what, the Royals would surely know about the attack once we start attacking the Kingdoms.
Tell all the commanders to take it slow. After taking over all the defence lines, start moving our troops discreetly. We may lose some time here but once we start attacking the Kingdom, the clock will start ticking.
Moreover, it seems we have got an additional five days. But we need to finish everything in the next four days.
So, order them not to rush. First, ask all of them to gather and then attack jointly. If this plan works, we could take out the entire Western Front and profit from it greatly.
And our next target is the Western Territory. We will try to occupy as much land as possible before Kinley retaliates.
The situation in Arkham was quite bad. They were facing joint attacks from both Demons and Dark Elves.
Arkham was a newly built Empire and cant be compared to Harold and Kinley in terms of history.
It was progressing steadily but soon everything started to fall apart.
During the war, there had been famine all over the place, deterioration of law and order, and cursed lands started to show one after another bringing natural disasters.
The First Prince of Arkham died in the battle against Demons, leaving him and his third brother.
While trying to find a way, Noahs gaze fell on the Western Front of Kinley.
Kinley had never regarded the Arkham Empire highly and everyone thought of them as weaklings.
pa(nd)a no vel In this operation, they have no other choice but to win, stay alive and succeed.
They had taken a long time to figure out the pros and cons while pulling every effort into the preparation.
They figured out the boundary patterns, the terrain, and the strength and weakness of the Kingdom in Western Territory and planted hundreds of spies.
The spies had done their best to gather the information. It was a dangerous route, but all of them had preserved nevertheless.
He had already been arranging rangers to figure out the routes. Some of them had lost their lives due to the steep and harsh terrain but all of them managed to hide at the designated spot.
Soon, the actual operations would begin. They have now moved according to the plan and once it is over Noah could feel the heavyweight leaving his shoulders.
The power of the Western Front was weak, if he had attacked with everything, it would be fallen within a day and they could also lunge forward and occupied the Kingdoms but he feared that such a large number of troops might alert Kinley and if they send reinforcements, the fight will become extremely difficult for them.
Because, unlike those lousy ones, the ones who will come as part of reinforcements were proper soldiers.
So, he planned to take out the wrap gate and change out the location or destroy it. With its help not only could bring more soldiers from his side but he could also halt the soldiers coming from Kinley.
In case of any expected situation, he could just bring his soldiers after crossing the border as usual and head forward.
But bringing down the warp gate would bring many advantages and could also save time which they could use to conquer the land.
His troops were already moving and defeat was not acceptable.
Noah spokeWe must destroy or bring the warp gates under our control as soon as possible. If the paratroopers failed, ask the troops to march with full force. If we fail to secure the warp gates, move on to plan two and form a stronghold on the defensive line.
Yes!
The general along with everyone bowed their heads.
Noahs plan was short and decisive. Even if they failed to conquer the Kingdom, he could still use the defence line as the last resort.
Noah hadnt found anything unusual in the report and still didnt know some things hadnt gone as he planned.
While he was discussing other plans with the general, a soldier hurried towards the room and screamed in joy.
Your Highness, the warp gate showed a sign of connection.
The warp gates would soon be connected.
Noah along with other generals expressions changed as soon as they heard the news.
Noah smiled and muttered, It seems we can implement the second stage of the plan.
Relay My orders. All troops prepare to advance.
Johnson got up shortly after fainting.
He didnt let drowsiness overwhelm him and tried to get up.
At first, he thought all of this was a dream as his memory was still fuzzy but soon he felt relieved and realised that he had made it alive and thanks to some miraculous effect, all his wounds had healed and he was feeling more energetic than before.
pan,d a-n0vel He stretched and cracked his back as he could feel slight aches and pain due to lying on the ground
Though his wounds had been healed, he didnt overdo himself for fear of getting sick once again.
He glanced around and as he remembered the situation, he hurried his way to look at others condition. In the spur of the moment, he had forgotten about the boys that were with him.
It was already nighttime and finally, when he saw the soldiers safe and sound, he sighed in relief.
They have just fainted and are now in deep sleep.
He examined their condition and all of them were in good shape.
Johnson looked around to find Aeon staring at him with a worried expression.
Sir, are you alright now? Aeon asked.
Johnson looked at Aeons face and nodded his head.
Huh! Werent they sent to the fourth defence line? How did they show up here instead of going to other lines to help?
He had forgotten about this matter due to the situation but now as his mind was clear, he wasnt able to let go of the thought that they had abandoned the defence lines and escaped here.
Alex and his troops should have been in the fourth defence line. Since other lines had been attacked, he should have shown up there.
He had heard that the situation at the border was quite bad. And knowing Alex, he expected him to be there and help them.
Johnson asked Aeon about all the details.
When we heard about the Arkham Kingdom invasion, we headed straight to the Second defence line and successfully defended it from the enemies.
So, why are you here now? Johnson asked with a confused expression.
Only My Lord can answer that question. He had some other thoughts about it and felt that it is a waste of resources to defend the Second Defense lines now.
Though he was curious about it, he was at least able to get rid of the concern after hearing about Alexs move.
I expected nothing less from him, Johnson spoke with a sincere smile.
The surprise attack might have startled everyone which could interfere with their decision-making process. But still, Alex was able to take the best decision and produce the best result and prevent at least one of the worst-case scenarios.
And he could feel the reverence from Aeons eyes and could imagine how great he was when he marched alone to the battlefield slaughtering the enemies.
After seeing Alexs preparation, Johnson could already perceive that Alex was preparing for war and now that someone like him was here, it added new life to the Western Front for now.
Johnson exchanged some greetings and walked towards the building where Alex was.
Alex greeted him and checked his condition. He confirmed that there were no major issues and asked him.
Can you tell me what happened here?
Yeah.
We were attacked by Arkham soldiers three hours ago. We were preparing to deploy 1000 soldiers to the 5th defence line but the Arkham soldiers surrounded us and attacked us suddenly. We quickly summoned our men and Commander Ruth took the charge but we couldnt do anything because of the overwhelming force of the enemy.
Three hoursThat was the time Alex took to reach here. Johnson had been unconscious for half an hour. It means they had already invaded for quite some time.
Sir Johnson since you are the most experienced man here, I wanted you to take a look at the map and tell me why would they attack the reserve unit when they have already taken over the defence line.
Johnson nodded and looked at the Western Front map. The more he looked at it, the more confused he became.
After thinking for a long time, he found attacking here was meaningless unless they wanted to create a diversion.
Johnsons eyes widened as he noticed a yellow mark on the map.
It cant be. They might have expected that some would flee or retreat seeing the situation of the defence line and come back to the rear.
They wanted to take out the warp gate so they wanted to delay it so they sent out another troop to attack here.
If a battalion from Kinley came here they would first rush here to offer help and forget about looking at the warp gate.
That was too shocking.
When Alex arrived here, he had been thinking about the attack here. He had already got the gist of their plan but the thing about warp gate was totally out of his mind because he hadnt imagined that the enemy forces had infiltrated this land since long ago.
Alex along with Commander Ruth had done some security checks and changed the man but he wasnt able to point out the spies or anything as he hadnt been to all Defence lines.
Moreover, the deployment of a sizable number of troops even before Alex appeared here and since they had been hiding in the vast land, went below Alexs radar.
Secondly, he hadnt imagined that Shen would play such a trick and swap the communication.
If he had relayed the news to the centre, even though they wouldnt send reinforcements they would at least send forces to secure the gate.
It seems they have been preparing this for too long. They have taken all possibilities into account to make this war successful.Alex spoke with a harsh voice which made Johnson sigh heavily.
If he wasnt present here only god knows what would have happened. The Western Front might have already collapsed.
Wait, since it had come to this then the old man should have already known about it then why the hell is he sitting still.
Old man, if you dont act, it is your land that is going to be snatched or did you push all the responsibilities on me after sending me here.
Damn it! You should have at least made me a general.
Alex didnt know what his so-called Father Emperor was thinking but he understood one thing, he had relied on himself to solve this.
Maybe that old man also had a hand in delaying reinforcement cause he had already expected this war but he was sitting still like a stone.
Alexs headache seemed to be getting worse with each passing second.
Shouldnt we assist the forces of the rear in this case? We should march towards them right now.
Its useless, Alex muttered, shooting his head.
You said that you were attacked three hours ago. It hadnt even been an hour since we had arrived. That is enough time for them to fall. When the defensive line couldnt persist for more than an hour, what could you expect from others?
You mean..
Yes, the warp gate has already been taken over or is in the process of taking over.
It would take 30 minutes to reach there and if the warp gates are taken over and Arkham sends reinforcements we are going to die.
Despite such a tense situation, Alex wasnt in a hurry. There was no need to rush like a headless chicken and get beaten.
I think, we should move to the next plan, Alex muttered and threw a knife on the map which landed on a forest covering a rocky land.
The rocky mountains of Terror Of Ranvier.
The third and fifth defences were the only ones which persisted.
The fourth defence line was taken quite easily. After Alex and the nobles departed, it became hollow.
Out of the remaining soldiers stationed there, many fled away while others surrendered without any resistance.
The fifth defence succeeded in repelling the enemies. The wave consisted of only a few thousand soldiers so they were able to hold on easily.
And as no attack had been made on the third defence line, it was still as good as before.
After Alex escaped, a scout from Arkhams side had been sent to the second defence line and after noticing the absence of Kinleys soldiers, the group from the first defence captured and secured the perimeter quite easily.
On the fifth defence line, movements could be seen throughout the forts.
Take care of the rations. Prepare the weapons and prepare them from before.
Repair the walls as soon as possible. Our lives are at stake. Hurry up quickly.
The second wave might be around the corner. Baron Cohen roared as he looked around.
There had been many cracks formed in the wall and it looked as if it was going to collapse. The gates were good to go though they still need some repair.
It was good that we were attacked by just 6000 Arkham soldiers who fled quickly.
They were able to sort out the mess and were able to hold on. Still, there wasnt any relief.
He contacted the General who seemed to be talking in a roundabout way and he could infer that the bastard was reluctant to send reinforcements.
Baron Cohen had never liked that man and at that moment, he wanted to kill that stupid person.
Shen was a stupid muscle head and was widely known as the Second Prince Gigolo.
As he sighed, a soldier came to him.
Commander, we are receiving a call from Western Garrison Quarters.
Take it!
Baron Cohen muttered as he walked towards the command centre.
He saw two people on the communication channel.
[Baron Cohen and Count Patt, I am Alex Von Leonheart, a member of the reserve unit as well as the acting Commander of this place.]
Alex had called both the commander of the third and fifth defence line at a time.
Both of them looked at Alex with surprised expressions. While Cohen was oblivious to the things on other lines, Patt was already aware of the recent affairs and straightened out his behaviour.
Why are you contacting me? Are other defences already gone? Cohen asked with a frown.
Alex gave them a brief summary and then spoke.
[The Arkham kingdom seems to have taken over the warp gate in the rear of Western Front. We have been isolated and would just be waiting for our death if we stay here. We must abandon the fort and take refuge in the Terror of Ranvier and try to block them out from reaching the Kingdoms.]
Count Patt and Baron Cohen jumped up from their seats.
pan-d a-n0vel.com Cohen thought that they had barely blocked the attack from the first wave while other defence lines had already fallen and even the warp gate had been taken over.
Meanwhile, the Third line wasnt even attacked till now.
There is no way the rear could have fallen. Are you saying Arkham soldiers have bypassed us and have taken over the warp gate? Its ridiculous. Count Patt spoke in denial.
And even if this had happened? Are you telling us to abandon our position and seek refuge somewhere else? Baron Cohen spoke with disbelief.
[Alex stared at their confused expression coldly and saidDo you think defending the lines hold any value in this situation when they have already bypassed and secured the warp gate? They could just bring troops over there and march towards Western Territories.]
[They have never taken the defence line into their eyes. They hadnt used their full power and just tried to distract us by focusing on the goals. Count Patt and Baron Cohen, think rationally for a bit. Dont let your emotions cloud your judgement.]
Both of them were speechless as they heard Alexs words and started to think carefully.
Although Arkham attacked them first, they withdrew quickly if the battle turned out to be disadvantageous.
[We are escaping towards the rocky mountain of Ranvier to take refugees. If you stay there, you would be isolated and defeated by enemy-forced attacks from both sides. I plan to destroy the road towards Western Territory leaving them no other option but to walk through Ravier. Even if it is difficult, we still have a way of staying there and crossing through the mountains.]
Alexs persuasion didnt work. Both of them thought that this was just an assumption without any solid evidence. They couldnt believe it fully.
I need evidence first. Moreover, your plan doesnt make any sense. You wanted to use guerilla warfare in the vast wilderness but can you handle that?Cohen snorted.
Contact me again if you have some news.Baron Cohen muttered and cut the call.
Count Patt didnt cut the wall and stayed silent for a moment.
From the information, Alex knew that Count Patt stayed silent most of the time and didnt utter any words if it wasnt necessary. He may look like a fool but he had good judgement.
Alex had a bit of hope for him but it was small.
Count Patt rubbed his chin and saidI dont know if what you said is true or false. But when we are on the battlefield. We need to make certain assumptions and conjectures.
I have 18,000 troops stationed here and I am willing to send 5000 troops and place them under your command but please forgive me. I cant leave my post without any proper command.
And you know why? If we leave the post and by any chance, Arkham loses, General Shen wouldnt leave any leaf unturned to dispose of us. Its okay for me to die but I dont want my family to bear the tag of traitor and get despised. I dont have the guts of a young man like you.
So, I advise you to be careful Alex.
With sincere advice and a parting warning, Count Patt cut the call.
Alex sighed and stared at Riya for a moment and spoke with a self-deprecating smile.
It seems the proverb was true. Good people dont live long.
We should start packing up quickly. We should leave before Arkham troops appear through the warp gate.
Halbert was the captain of the paratroopers squad who had sneaked into Western Borders.
He was in charge of the 2500 troops who were ordered to either take over the warp gate or destroy it irrespective of the cost.
Seven months ago when he received the proposal he thought that the Prince had gone mad but he finally agreed to do the job after his sincere explanation, it seems there was no other way for them.
The Arkham Empire had no strength to withstand the current situation. The crops have been affected by miasma, farmlands have been destroyed by demons. The Treasury had become empty.
There were many internal conflicts arising out of nowhere and some of them seemed to have sold themselves to demons. The only thing that could help them was the appearance of a powerhouse but warriors above Mythic rank cant appear and take part in battle so they can only seek external aid which has been refused and they were ignored.
So, the only way to do things now was to force the other side to take measures or give them some profit.
By conquering and plundering the Western Front, they would either force Kinley to sign a treaty or form a partnership with Harold Kingdom to help them avert the troubles.
Moreover, it didnt take long for them to convince due to the detailed and in-depth planning of the second prince which took them by surprise.
Many spies have been planted and people were slowly picked who crossed the border and hid here.
Halbert along with others arrived at the heavily guarded Warp gate.
They waited for the night and the chaos on the battlefield and as soon as the opportunity arrived, they bared their fangs.
Paukkk!
Kuakk!
The soldiers who were guarding the place were killed one by one.
There was much force stationed here and their forces were enough to take the place down but they have already prepared some other measures to take over the place quickly.
2500 soldiers rushed from all around and started to attack.
A spy had already been planted in the place and accompanying him Halbert along with several others sneaked inside while everyone focused on the chaos outside.
The squad following the moles instruction sneaked in quite easily through the secret path.
He took care of the enemies and headed straight towards the warp gate.
Screams echoed and spread across the place but Arkham soldiers turned a blind eye and attacked with their full strength.
The outside screams and roars covered the noises due to Halberts squad.
They tried to do their work as quietly as possible, but still, some voices ought to escape, which were masked by the outside chaos.
As soon as they reached the warp gate, the first thing they did was carve a self-detonation magic spell and tied a detonation artifact to the warp gate.
If they got discovered now they would surely be killed by the enemies but before that, they would make sure to blow out the entire place so that Kinley couldnt get any reinforcement through the warp gate.
The magician and technician who came along started to work on the gates.
They change the coordinates and link with the one in Arkham.
Hey, theyre messing with the warp gates to stop them.One of the soldiers shouted and warned the others.
They werent able to avert Kinleys gaze for long.
The Kinley soldiers noticed something amiss during the attack and rushed towards the warp gate only to find it surrounded by troops from the opposing side.
They charged towards them but Halbert and others tried to keep them at bay.
Swarming around, they surrounded the thieves.
Die! Dont let them get by, Halbert screamed and fought back fiercely.
CLANG!CLANG!CLANG!
Halberts troops were starting to get outnumbered and soon fell into a disadvantage.
Captain, it seems we cant hold on for long. Lets destroy the gate. Soldiers screamed as they saw their teammates dying one by one.
Not yet! Halbert gritted his teeth and pushed himself.
His body had been bruised with countless wounds still he didnt give in.
He knew they were very close to achieving their goals.
If they die now all the hard work and sacrifices of the people would be useless. Destroying the warp gate was the only secondary option when they couldnt win.
He needs to hold on.
For his liege and his country, he needs to persist through his ordeal.
Even if he became a martyr, his name would go down in history.
His fierce burning eyes terrified the Kinley soldiers.
Halberts armour was already torn due to which deep guts that he had suffered appeared in their eyes.
Halbert boosted the morale of the remaining forces on his side who also fought fiercely.
Swish!
At that time a gentle wind blew and finally, they succeeded.
A strong pressure emerged from the portal and a horde of people rushed out from the portal that started to tear through Kinleys soldiers.
Halbert was already injured badly and was drenched in blood and fell on the floor feeling out of breath.
The gate started to shine brightly and as the bright light dimmed down Noahs Ark came into vision.
With a single step, he was now in Kinleys land.
Seeing his brownish hair fluttering, everyone around him kneeled.
We greet the Second Sun.
Their voices were filled with respect and reverence.
All of them have been in a foreign land for six months and all of them have gone with the thought of sacrificing their lives for Arkham to survive. They had sworn that no matter how difficult it was, they were going to achieve the objectives they had been ordered to do and finally, they had finished their task.
Paratroopers, you can rest now. Leave everything else to us.Noah spoke with a gentle smile.
His voice carried a charm which made everyone believe that they had already won the war.
Some of them were already shedding tears of joy seeing the Second Prince who was rightly named the rising sun of Arkham.
Noah didnt smile anymore and marched towards the fallen men.
Is everything going according to the plan?
Most of the defence line had fallen. We have already taken over it easily. The reinforcements from the opposite side hadnt arrived. With the fall of the other two lines, we can occupy the entire front and use it for our strategic advantage.
Noah had made sure to wage the war as fast as possible and cut all routes of reinforcement.
pA n,dan0vel.c0m With the short routes being taken over, the Kinley will be forced to take the long route.
It was time for them to start working towards their new goal quickly. Since Kinley couldnt send any people soon. It was time for them to move their plan forward.
Opal!
Yes Your Highness!
Start connecting all the fronts. I will give you a battalion to oversee the defence lines. Reunite with our troops and start preparing the fort for defences. This might drag on for a long time so there is no need to rush. Even if we fail to plunder the Kingdoms lands, we can hold onto the defensive line like the last straw and advance our borders.
Heck!
Start securing the road towards the Western territory. We are going to move soon.
Next day!
As soon as the sun rose into the sky, Alexs men packed their luggage and started to move towards the Terror of Ranvier which was 50 km away from the Western Garrison Quarters.
Before moving, Alex took all the rations of the Second Defence Line and the Western Garrison Quarters.
He refurbished the supply of weapons, and water along with daily necessities and even took the flare in the storage.
Alex even talked with Count Patt and after some discussion, he agreed to send most of the rations with his men.
Count Patt knew that the chances of defending the wall were close to zero and the only thing he could do was to hold in the line so that they could provide others ample time to do their work without getting noticed.
After running for a long time, the barren rocky ground started to disappear and shrubs along with bushes started to appear.
Many of the reserve units had trained in the initial areas and were quite aware of the terrain but for nobles who hadnt moved out of the fort, it was the beginning of the Nightmare.
It was a brutal struggle for them to even walk properly through the dense forest laden with trees, vines and creepers which blocked the rays of the sun from reaching them.
The humid condition made it unbearable and everyone was drenched in sweat due to the full clothing.
And it wasnt even beginning as the steep mountains posed further difficulties for them to move as they werent even able to gain a proper foothold.
The only thing that kept them moving was their desire to live through the crisis.
While the nobles along with others grunted and felt that they were marching through hell, Alex had taken some of his men towards the road connecting the Western Territory.
He stared at the land and first sent the messengers and as soon as their sight disappeared, Alex flew up into the sky staring at the ground with a cold expression.
His men had already retreated to a safe distance after which Alex began his favourite process.
He raised his hand.
Mana around him swirled and twirled around as if a strong storm appeared out of nowhere.
Many magic circles glowed in the air which lit up the sky. The veins in his head bulged as he exerted a great amount of strength both physically and mentally.
Lets turn everythingwaste. Alex roared.
What happened next was a spectacular scene for Alexs men to witness which made their scalps numb in fear.
The magic circles rotated vigorously and hundreds of fiery masses appeared which accelerated to the ground and crashed to the floor harnessing a great momentum.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Red flames manifested and flew everywhere spreading like waves but everyone who could witness the scene was horrified as their vision turned white as the ground collapsed.
RUMBLE!
The sky seemed to be split apart as it wailed at the power of the terrifying explosion and everyone within the radius of 20 km felt their ears buzz and their heads became blank.
Soon a huge flame emerged which seemed to join heaven and earth which naturally alerted the Arkham soldier who was 50 kilometres away from the scene and they rushed towards the scene.
..
TAP! TAP!TAP!TAP
The ground started to shake slowly as a huge mass of Arkham soldiers appeared, waving their flags proudly.
They stepped forward, trampling over the corpses of the enemies as they headed forward.
The direction they were approaching now was the remaining Third and Fifth Defense Line.
On the Fifth Defense Line, Baron Coheron tried to connect to the rear but he wasnt able to get the call.
He also tried to call General Shen and the centre for some assistance but alas.
Is there still no response?
The soldier shook his head.
Damn it! Baron Cohen roared in anger and took the mana call communicator stone and threw it towards the wall with outrage.
It collided with the wall and broke into several pieces.
They have already taken care of the mana jammer, so the call should be connected but getting no connection mens they have been blocked from another side.
Naturally, he had heard about Shen changing the communication line but still, he had a bit of hope left but his hope was shattered.
It seems that the other side had abandoned them.
The other officials around him were already stiff and anxious after hearing about Alexs report.
They had tried to seek out personnel stationed on the rear near the warp gate repeatedly but there was no response.
The fact that the warp gate had been taken over was already a big problem in itself but what he feared more was the lack of response from the General.
In a war like this, a general should be present and take part actively in discussions but here was their General who had been hiding in the capital.
Baron Cohen might be arrogant and egoistic but he wasnt a fool. A part of him wanted to accept Alexs proposal but that wasnt feasible with the superior permission.
Even if they won the war, they would be dealt brutality and would die disgracefully if it was heard that they had left the defence line.
Thats also the reason why he called Shen to inform them about this tactic.
We have been completely isolated. There is no sign of reinforcements. The war is practically our defeat. There seems to be no chance of turning around. From now on, we need to survive and drag it.
When he thought about his situation, he was quite helpless.
They cant flee away now as it was midnight and they might encounter trouble now from Arkham soldiers who might have already cut off their route to retreat.
The rugged terrain wasnt a suitable escape route.
He didnt know why Alex kept on struggling. If he wanted, he could escape from the Western Front easily as he was already in the rear but instead of that, he wanted to destroy the path to the Western territory and force the Arkham soldiers to take a dangerous route of Terror of Ranvier to save time.
Terror of Ranvier was where they would fight to the death.
Baron Cohen felt severe headaches assaulting him.
I need to stick here and wait for reinforcement and with the walls still standing, we have a good chance of survival.
His wait didnt last long as Arkham soldiers reached the door and their numbers were huge, unlike the previous time.
Baron Cohens hands trembled to see the huge lineup.
Everyone take your position.
Get ready to attack.
The soldiers began to look for arrows. The repaired wall seemed to be holding on fine and they already procured additional weapons supplies.
The Kinley soldiers were fully prepared this time as they didnt want to be pushed back again.
The soldiers finished loading the weapons and believed that they wouldnt be defeated easily this time.
Baron Cohen gave a perfumery speech to arouse everyones battle spirits and he seemed to be successful in raising their morals initially.
The soldiers screamed his name and cheered for him. They believed in his words and since they have limited information, they had thought staying behind the walls was the best option.
However, soon they witnessed the harsh truth of reality. The attack of Arkham soldiers this time was incompatible with the previous time.
Before the current lineup, the previous attack seemed to be a joke that only boosted their swallow confidence.
The Arkham soldiers swarmed around the defence line like ants with thousands of numbers. They covered the fort wholly from all sides and started to take down the archers and deployed the seized weapon soon.
The courage which had risen inside Kinley soldiers soon faded away.
The Fifth defence line broke, and the gate collapsed stunning Baron Cohen who realised that he should have listened to Alex instead of committing the mistake of sending everyone to death.
Even if he became a traitor, in the worst case he could have fled and at the very least he would still be able to keep his head.
Attack!
Charge!
Kill!
KUAK!
Soon, the gate was broken and enemies swarmed in laying everything before them into waste.
Kinley soldiers were slaughtered mercilessly. Some tried to run away but there was no escape route.
Baron Cohens head was cut off.
The entire place was surrounded.
Noah had already cut off the escape routes and trapped them. Other than lamenting and trembling in fear the commander was useless and soon they gained victory.
The Arkham soldiers didnt rush and took their time to take over the Fifth Defence line which struggled fiercely but soon the fire was put off.
The Third Defence turned out to be a hard nut to crack, the soldiers and mages did their best so that the Arkham soldiers couldnt get close to the gates.
The other sides also targeted their flares and took half of them at first, even when the battle hadnt started.
Although they posed problems at first they were outnumbered greatly.
The battle at the Third Defense line lasted for five hours much to Noahs surprise.
Noah Ark who was in mid of reviewing his plan frowned as he heard from the other commander.
Didnt I say just to follow my orders faithfully? Why did Duke Sheldon attack the Second Defence line without my permission?
Your Highness, please calm down. Duke Sheldon is already dead. Instead of worrying about him, we should take out that person who poses the threat.
Noah was already stunned seeing their defeat at the Second Defence line. Though they got it back, it felt as if it was a gift thrown at them.
Noah who was in deep thought asked for a survivor and upon his arrival asked him to narrate the situation.
The surviving soldier nodded and saidWe were at an advantage in the beginning. The Defense Line was unprepared for the attack and we broke through the gates as soon as possible. We were almost winding things up when those two monsters accompanied by 1000 soldiers appeared.
Monster?
No, they are even a step ahead. Even monsters couldnt describe their strength.
Noah pondered for a moment and a certain memory came into his mind.
The worlds youngest Legendary Rank Riya, Noah muttered faintly.
The soldiers body trembled as soon as he heard the name. He was one of the survivors and the memories of the slaughter surfaced back in his mind.
Noah was taken by surprise and askedIs she here?
The soldier nodded while trying to control his trembling body.
His whole body shivered in fright as he spokeThough when compared to the other one, she seemed quite normal. She appeared later but the man charged alone and kept on killing everything that appeared in front of him. He didnt have a single scratch on him till the end and the more he fought, the more fierce some he became.
The woman is a monster in the true sense but this man is beyond the boundary of the monster. He was like an executioner and slaughterer who was sent to the Battlefield to send our lives to the netherland.
He seemed to be both a mage and a swordsman. His aura is dense and unfathomable, carrying a chilling bloodlust which would freeze anyone who stood close to him. With the sword in one hand, he kept on cutting us and with the other hand, he bombarded us with fearsome and horrifying spells.Just thinking about the scene was enough to give the soldier goosebumps.The people around him hadnt witnessed the true horror of that demon otherwise they couldnt be standing here calmly.
Noah frowned as he tried to remember the people who fit the description but he wasnt able to remember anyone with that quality. For a moment he thought about that man who was married to Riya but he shook the thought as soon as it came.
He is Alex, the previous fifth Prince.The soldier muttered.
Though Noahs expression didnt change a bit, he was shocked from the inside to the point he could feel his hands trembling.
He closed his eyes for a moment while sinking into deep thoughts carefully. He had read reports about Alex and though he knew about his feats, the soldiers description of Alex seemed to go beyond what he expected.
It cant be. Its totally unbelievably.
The sudden appearance of the man seemed to press an unwanted thorn into his heart.
Since Duke Sheldon was dead that means the surviving troops of the Second Defence Line were still roaming somewhere.
According to the report we have got there were no remaining soldiers of Kinley lingering when he captured the second defence line. They have attacked and taken control of the Western Garrison Quarters from our grasp but they seem to have disappeared after that.
And last time, they were spotted near the path to the Western territory where they were fleeing and destroying the path.Another soldier spoke and moved forward.
Noahs expression darkened as soon as he heard the news.
Since when did you know about it?
Your Highness, it was reported 10 minutes ago and it was also said that some have passed through that place.
Noah clenched his fist as he felt his plan had gone disarray.
General Zhang, after seeing Noahs expression, stepped forward and saidYour Highness, we should start building the path. If we start now we could build a road within three days.
Noah clicked his tongue and spokeWe cant just make a usable road. We need a strong and sturdy road to support us in case Kinley attacks us with full force and we retreat. I dont want the road to collapse easily.
First and foremost, since the defence line had been in our grasp, we will turn this place into an uninvadable fortress which Kinley couldnt imagine taking back.
That was the first half of the plan which would benefit them in the long run while the second half would only alleviate their immediate needs.
General Zhang took the second battalion and observed the damage. Send me a message with a brief report and start building a path. Use every man at your disposal to finish the road and make the sturdy path suitable for us to bring the army.
Yes Your Highness! General Zhang bowed his head politely.
It took them an hour to sort out the things on the front. There were too many prisoners and they could become a variable if kept so, under Noahs order, they were executed without any mercy.
It was a cruel act but Noah didnt want to give any chance to these snakes to bear their fangs.
He had taken over the entire Western Front in just one and a half days which is a matter of praise.
His initial goal had been fulfilled which had lifted a heavy burden from their shoulders.
Corpses and blood could be seen everywhere in forts where soldiers were executed brutally.
Noah passed by the place and paused for a bit to observe the scene.
At that time, Noah heard crooked laughter from the place where Kinleys soldiers were being killed.
We know our end has come but soon it will be your time. You will beg for mercy and kneel for your life.
Fear would engulf you and you all will die miserably like us without a coffin. The soldiers spoke and spit on the Arkham soldiers which angered them greatly to the point that the soldier stabbed him multiple times.
Noah halted his steps for a moment.
His Highness, please dont think about that mans words. We all are doing this for the better future of our people. Thousands may curse us today but millions will praise us tomorrow.
Noah nodded and moved towards the meeting room.
After organising everything, Noah looked for routes towards the Western territory.
They didnt have the leisure to waste too much time so Noah made a decisive plan.
He sent a team to start building the roads and fix the craters and cracks while another would trace a path through the rocky forest of Terror Of Ranvier.
And while doing so, he would also deal with the remnants that might be hiding there.
Noah ordered Jack to take a battalion to scout the path and enter the Western Front and see whether that path was feasible.
But soon the plans changed.
Highness, I have spotted a group of survivors from the Third Defence line moving towards Terror of Ranvier.
Noah heard Jacks voice from the communication channel.
Are they also fleeing from there?Noah muttered while rubbing his chin.
It seems my guess was correct. Either some have been hiding there or there is a cleared pathway to the Western territory.
It seems so. They were hurrying their way.The messenger replied.
Estimate their number.
Approximately 4000!
Listen, Jack, you have 24,000 men. I order you to quickly sweep them before they could cross the mountains.
We were already late when some people passed through the road. We cant let these people go.
Yes!
Jack muttered and immediately prepared to follow the command.
.
Dave was the lieutenant of the Third Defense and was in charge of the troops. They were moving as per the order and their goal was to meet Alex inside the forest.
Count Patt was a highly respected commander and had incredible foresight. Dave wished for him to escape and survive, but he had vowed to go down with the defence line.
As they came near the patch of forest, they heard loud sounds from the back and Dave was startled to see waves of enemies charging at them.
Kill those Kinley bastards!
Shit! Dave cursed.
Everyone increase your speed and run ahead, Dave ordered.
With their destination in sight, he decided to push ahead. He didnt why but he had a deep trust that Alex might be waiting inside the forest and they just needed to cross it.
But due to the new terrain, their speed slowed down and Arkham soldiers were able to catch them.
Damn these bastards dont know to stop. It is already the time of dusk but they still wanted us to pursue it even though it would be nightfall after a few moments. One of the Kinley soldiers cursed.
Pauk!
Kauk!
Shrieks echoed as Arkham slayed down the Kinley soldiers quite easily.
Dave lunged forward and exchanged blows with many at once. The bitter taste of defeat and blood still lingered in his mouth that was nauseating him.
Thud!
The soldiers around him started to fall one after another.
A sword pierced the soldiers beside him, he swung his sword instantly at the enemy and covered the soldiers and shoutedRun back.
The soldiers fell back and started to run, while Dave stood at the front covering the tracks for the retreat of the injured.
Come at me, you bastards, Dave screams and swings his sword.
BANG!BANG!BANG!
Dave was overwhelmed and was pushed back a little which allowed another soldier to pass through him.
The Arkham soldiers closed the gap in the span of a moment and appeared behind the fleeing Kinley soldiers they swung their swords but at that moment a shadow leapt through the bush and landed before them.
And when their eyes met with his, goosebumps ran throughout their body.
All the hair in their body stood up in fright.
Under the darkness of night, a pair of red eyes emanated a chilling killing intent which froze their body following blood splattered and bodies rolled down.
When Johnson heard Alexs plan, he was already shocked beyond his wildest dream.
Only a madman of his calibre could create such terrifying plans.
He didnt know Alex entirely but during the months stay, he could see a glimpse of a complete madman beneath the mask of a gentleman.
As per his understanding, Alex was the type of man who would show a different side to different people.
To his wives, he was loving, gentle and doting while to his underlying he was a figure of respect and a person who sets an example and trains them strictly.
But to his enemies, his behaviour took an entire 360 twist.
The mountains in Terror of Ranvier werent a suitable escape route or battlefield. The mountains were steep, the forest was dense and surviving conditions were quite hard.
Only a person who had lived and survived here while mastering the arts of guerilla tactics could dominate a battle in this place.
The terrain was already horrible but Alex had added some further twists which had increased the hard mode to hell mode.
This place was unsuitable for a living but when Johnson entered deep inside the place, he was utterly speechless. He would have never imagined witnessing such a scene like this.
The landscape was totally different. There was a perfectly sized camp. There were narrow roads in between the forest.
Many caves had been made inside the mountains and a part of the mountain had been cut to make a way that was blocking the escape route and now one neednt climb over it.
The planning and preparation werent something that was done in a single day. It had been prepared a long time ago.
Moreover, under Alexs strict request, the training that was going on also took place at the beginning of Terror of Ranvier which means most of the people in the reserve unit were accommodated to it.
Not only that Alex had destroyed the road that took to the Western territory which in the eyes of many is a suicidal move.
Only Johnson along with a few others knew that Alex had already prepared an underground route through which he had already sent soldiers to inform the Kingdoms to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
The insight that Alex showed was enough to make the enemies drenched in fear.
Johnson was already worried as soon as he heard that Noah Ark was in charge of the attack. He was an excellent strategist and was called the Rising Sun of Arkham who could lead Arkham to future glory after the fall.
But seeing Alex, he wondered whether that guy had a chance after all Alex could already create miracles with this small number of troops.
The preparation from the Arkham side might have been started many months ago but Alex within a month had come up with many plans.
If he had a little more support Arkham would be forced to retreat.
Johnson shook his head and stared at the nobles who stood by the campfire with blank expressions. Even their minds were blown after seeing all of this.
If only the young generation nobles were that much diligent, we wouldnt have faced such a situation, to begin with.
As Johnson spoke with a sigh, he heard screams from far which alerted everyone resting out there.
It seems the act has already started.
Johnson turned around and shouted, Soldiers prepare for backup.
Its time for them to get their own medicine.
.
Unlike a battlefield where hymns of shrieks and cries rang constantly, the atmosphere around them was utterly silent.
The soldiers of Arkham narrowed their eyes.
Their hearts were stifled and were beating violently.
Those who died wanted to open their lips to scream and shout to alert others but all of them were engulfed by the darkness of night.
A soldier of Arkham who was fighting Kinley soldiers was suddenly engulfed by darkness and his body disappeared out of nowhere.
In fact, instead of enemies, it was the soldiers of Kinley who came from the third defence that screamed in fear and broke the dread of silence.
Ghost!
Their body shivered as they felt a tingling sensation numbing their scale as they werent able to understand what kind of entity it was.
Waaaa.
Their panic-stricken screams rang aloud but at that time a pair of hands appeared that closed their lips and pulled them back.
The soldiers of Arkham could perceive the changes going on in place and halted their movements and decided to stick in.
The night was dark and the rays of the moon were obstructed by the thick canopy.
It was a humid and moist environment giving a sense of irritation and dilapidation.
The only source of light was the fire torch made of straws and haws.
The person holding the flame torch swung it and shoutedWho is there?
Show yourself!
Coward! If you are a man then fight like a man.
As they shouted trying to provoke the enemy, a strong gust passed by them and the fire was extinguished immediately.
The man flinched back as he heard gentle soft words from behind.
Sorry, I am a woman.
That was the last thing he heard before being killed by others.
Kuak!
Kuak!
While Riya was swiftly murdering the enemies without giving them a chance to spot her, the other side had already been struck by overwhelming fear.
The soldiers of Arkham literally couldnt believe the sight before them. An Epic knight was killed by a single blow but this wasnt the end of their shock.
As they saw Alex ran towards all of them by himself.
An Enemy! Kill him.
Dozens of Arkham soldiers cried out in panic and rushed in to take down the man who had managed to kill them in a single blow.
Alex, who appeared on the battlefield, struck their head and smashed them into pieces.
His gaze carried an air of indifference as if the massive number was nothing to him.
Slash!
Kayak!
Puaakk!
The soldiers who stepped closer to Alex felt an aura of oppression. Alexs fierce eyes stared at them, making their souls tremble in fright.
They felt as if nothing could be hidden from his eyes, and as soon as ones eyes met with him their mind seemed to collapse as they found themselves drowning in an ocean of fear and misery.
The soldiers who rushed towards him died as quickly as they came and left the world screaming.
Those who were lucky enough to witness the scene werent able to comprehend anything and their mind became blank as they saw those who rushed were cut with a single slash.
There was no sign of aura or fluctuation of mana. It looked as if they were just battling a normal human yet this normal human was slaughtering them like cows and pigs.
Alex glanced back and signalled all the troops from the third defence line to head back.
Alex planned to kill Arkham soldiers after letting them scream so that he could attract the attention of everyone towards him while Riya and his men killed the people silently.
Alex looked at the loud steps coming towards him and raised his left hand which was covered with darkness.
A smile appeared on his face as he wanted to try out his partial concealment skills along with the element of darkness which he gained after fighting with that being almost two years ago.