Chapter 43: Participation (1)

Squeak.

Bang.

The city gates opened.

Through the thick dust that rose, Lawrence's soldiers rushed forward like a pack of wolves.

"Charge!"

"Roar!"

Hundreds of soldiers.

Their faces were filled with fear.

Flames erupted on the city walls, and in front of them, the sight of countless enemy troops charging towards the city gates was visible.

The soldiers, who were nothing more than a ragtag group that hadn't received proper regular training, gritted their teeth and charged forward, knowing that if they retreated, Lawrence might fall.

"Die!"

Thud!

"Gasp."

The two armies clashed.

The soldiers at the forefront, pushed by those behind them, tangled with each other, and a Lawrence soldier's fierce thrust made a Barco soldier tremble and foam at the mouth.

The joy of victory was short-lived.

The Lawrence soldier, trying to retrieve his weapon and attack another opponent, was decapitated by a sudden attack from the side.

Swish!

Thud.

Roll.

The battle had begun.

Like the face of a soldier who couldn't believe his own death, a chaotic slaughter unfolded as they killed each other.

At the beginning of the battle.

Lawrence had the upper hand.

With the support of arrows fired from the city walls, they pushed back Barco's soldiers forcefully.

Thud!

Punch, punch, punch!

Barco's soldiers fell under the barrage of arrows.

Lawrence's knights, stepping over their corpses, boasted of their shining silver armor and cut down the enemies in front of them.

Blood spurted like a fountain.

Bodies piled up like mountains in an instant, and Lawrence's soldiers pushed into the enemy lines, following the knights.

At that moment, they still believed they had a chance of winning.

Seeing the enemy fall to their weapons, they thought Barco's forces weren't as formidable as they had feared.

However.

That was a misconception.

At first, Barco was caught off guard by the unexpected counterattack, but as time went on, the situation reversed.

"You're overstepping your bounds."

"Where do you think you're going, you little punk?"

Swish!

Thud.

Among the soldiers.

A group was carrying out a massacre.

They were the Berg mercenaries.

These professional fighters stood out among the regular soldiers.

Even in the chaotic battle where the situation was unclear, they helped each other and cut down Lawrence's soldiers, and the difference in their counterattacks began to widen.

Even against knights, there was nothing they could do.

The role of knights became significant only when they could perfectly control their auras. The leading Lawrence knight, who was fighting at the forefront, was overwhelmed by the combined attacks of the mercenaries and was eventually attacked from all sides.

Thud, thud!

"Roar!"

The pain piercing his flesh.

The knight screamed in agony and collapsed.

From that moment on.

The tide turned.

Lawrence had also hired mercenaries to bolster their forces, but they couldn't match the Berg mercenaries' prominent performance.

They couldn't advance any further.

Despite only advancing about 50 meters from the city walls, the momentum lost, Lawrence's soldiers were desperately trying to survive with panicked faces.

One by one.

People died.

Fear spread like wildfire, and a soldier was terrified when he saw his comrade, a friend, die.

"We're done. We can't win this!"

The overwhelming difference in strength.

The soldiers began to retreat.

The ragtag group, facing a pack of fierce beasts, couldn't maintain their resolve to fight to the death.

A variable appeared.

Lawrence.

They couldn't even fulfill their role as bait.

Snap!

An arrow was fired.

Despite the repeated action making her arms tremble, Flora, with a face full of venom, loaded the next arrow.

At that moment.

The soldiers screamed.

They were supposed to buy more time, but they were retreating helplessly like sand being pushed back by the tide.

'They shouldn't be retreating yet.'

Her heart sank.

Roman's plan.

It was a feint.

When the city gates opened and Lawrence's soldiers launched a counterattack, Barco would naturally concentrate their forces, seeing it as an opportunity.

That was the moment Roman had spoken of.

With the battle at the city gates, there wouldn't be many troops left in Barco's rear, and Roman planned to take advantage of this to destroy Flare.

Flare was expensive equipment.

Since it couldn't be easily replenished, Lawrence could secure the advantage of defense.

Therefore.

"Don't retreat! Hold your ground until the end!"

Flora shouted in anger.

Still.

The enemy hadn't sent enough troops.

Many troops remained in Barco's rear, and if this continued, Roman's plan wouldn't even be attempted.

But even with Flora's cries, Lawrence's soldiers couldn't hold their ground.

They had already lost their fighting spirit, and the overwhelming momentum of Barco's forces couldn't be stopped by willpower alone.

It was over.

Flora had studied military tactics all night, but she faced a reality that the books didn't describe.

'We should have known our level. Unlike the plunderers of Barco, we weren't prepared to fight.'

Lawrence.

They were herbivores.

They had lived a peaceful life due to the wealth from fertile land, but they hadn't put much effort into defending it.

The problem arose from this.

Barco, a force that had nothing but fought continuously to plunder, saw Lawrence as an easy target.

The outcome was clear.

Seeing two Lawrence soldiers facing one Barco soldier, Flora felt dizzy.

'We have no chance of winning.'

Roman Demetri.

He wouldn't appear.

If Lawrence had played the role of bait as planned, it might be different, but now there was no reason for them to act.

It would be a meaningless sacrifice.

Thus, Lawrence's choice became a self-defeating move.

If they had held the city walls, they might have held out for a few more days, but opening the city gates left them unable to stop Barco's forces.

What could they do? Her rational mind sent countless messages to give up, but the mental strength Flora had developed over a few days relentlessly sought an answer.

Thud!

An arrow slicing through the air.

She fought desperately.

Even if the city fell and was captured, Flora had no intention of surrendering or begging for her life.

As she had told the maid.

She would rather die than become a concubine to scum like Anthony Barco.

At that moment.

"…?!"

In the distance.

A group was visible.

Their target was clear.

Flare.

They were running towards the siege weapons.

Ten minutes earlier.

Roman's soldiers waited with tense faces for orders.

"Huh."

This plan.

They couldn't help but be nervous.

They hadn't expected to engage in battle so quickly, especially not a crazy plan to attack Barco's rear.

The time to risk their lives had come too soon.

Unlike Chris and Kevin, who calmly accepted the reality, the newly recruited soldiers showed signs of anxiety.

Their feelings.

He understood.

However, Roman believed that beyond understanding, there was no need to show them more consideration.

'From now on, they must face the reality themselves. If they survive as my soldiers, I will grant them the life of predators as promised, but the question of survival ultimately depends on their own strength, not mine.'

Over the past ten days.

Roman's soldiers had undergone training.

They trained diligently under Chris's whip, but it wasn't enough to meet Roman's standards.

He ignored the soldiers' emotions.

Now was not the time for empathy.

Before the operation.

Roman said,

"This operation, as explained initially, aims to attack Barco's rear and destroy their siege weapons. Lawrence is unlikely to fulfill the role of bait properly. The strength disparity between Lawrence and Barco is extreme, and as a result, a significant number of troops will likely remain in Barco's rear."

Lawrence's variable.

It was as expected.

Roman hadn't placed much hope in them, and the worst-case scenario Flora had imagined was the reality Roman had anticipated.

Ultimately.

It meant the situation was not good.

Meeting Roman's gaze, the soldiers didn't look away.

Thirty soldiers.

They were putting their lives on the line.

They were naturally strong-willed and, while tense, didn't ignore reality.

It was enough.

Roman had the minimum number of soldiers needed for the plan.

"I don't expect much from you in this operation. I will lead the charge. I will run ahead, cut down the enemies, and open the way, and you will follow behind, cleaning up the stragglers. Remember, our primary goal is to destroy the siege weapons. If anyone gets drunk on blood and slaughter and loses their senses, I will not hesitate to leave them behind."

Roman's words.

The soldiers' eyes wavered.

His statement seemed cruel at first, but Roman had said he would lead the charge in this dangerous situation.

It wasn't consideration.

He still didn't trust the soldiers.

Therefore, Roman said he would take on the role of facing the enemy head-on himself.

Eventually.

"Now!"

The time had come.

At Roman's command, the soldiers rushed out.

In the distance.

Roman and his forces were visible.

Barco quickly assessed the situation but didn't immediately recall the troops at the front.

"What's that?"

Baron Barco.

His face twisted.

It seemed the enemy was preparing a decisive blow, but the crude tactic made him laugh.

"What do they think they can do with just that number? Anyway, those who don't know much about war hope for miracles from their desks. Hey, prepare to welcome the crazy guests right away."

"Understood."

Click, click.

The soldiers moved.

They held their shields close to their bodies and raised their spears, ready to face the enemy.

The strength disparity was clear.

The attacking force numbered only thirty, but Barco's rear had three times as many.

Moreover, it included elite forces like the Berg mercenaries' leader and knights.

Baron Barco had no reason to be afraid, and he believed the enemy's reckless attempt would be quickly dealt with.

Soon.

The enemy arrived.

The moment they confirmed the enemy wasn't from Lawrence, the man at the forefront kicked off the ground alone.

Whoosh.

His eyes widened.

The man's movement.

It was impossible to catch up.

Despite the distance, he was suddenly in front of the soldiers, leaping towards them.

It was suicidal.

The soldiers raised their shields high to block the attack, and the second line of soldiers thrust their spears through the gaps in the shields, trying to skewer the man.

The outcome was clear.

The man's body would be torn to shreds.

Baron Barco, who had been observing the situation, widened his eyes at what followed.

Swish!

Thud.

Blood splattered.

Despite the shields, the man's sword cut off the soldiers' heads one by one.

The immediate massacre.

The defensive formation crumbled instantly.

It was truly.

A scene that defied belief and common sense.