Chapter 612
Chapter 612: One Big Problem Has Been Resolved. (1)
“Waaaaaaah!”
Everyone cheered wildly at Ghislaine’s grand promise. It felt like a sudden surge of strength coursed through us.
As the atmosphere grew more cheerful, Ghislaine shouted even louder.
“The same rewards will be given to the families of those who died in this battle! And this condition will remain until the Monster Wave is over! I swear on my name!”
“Waaaaaaah!”
Another huge cheer echoed across the battlefield.
The continent had suffered unending pain for years. Droughts, plagues, the emergence of rifts, the onslaught of the Salvation Society, and wars with the rebels.
Most soldiers had joined the army out of desperation, struggling to feed their families. While they feared for their own lives, the survival of their loved ones weighed even heavier on their minds.
But now, they were promised substantial rewards. Even if they died, their families would be taken care of.
This gave the soldiers a great sense of relief.
“If it were another noble, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
“Duke Penris is trustworthy.”
“They say he’s been true to his word about rewards.”
It was widely known that Ghislaine granted generous rewards. In fact, whenever someone achieved merit during the war, he made sure to compensate them, no matter how small the act.
He wouldn’t change his word due to a lack of funds. Ghislaine was renowned as the richest man on the continent, with endless supplies of food that could sustain the entire realm.
Many kingdoms had been resurrected, thanks to Ghislaine’s support.
The mood had shifted dramatically. They had already secured victory in the most dangerous locations. Moreover, they were not fighting alone; other fortress troops would join them as well.
Therefore, there was absolutely no need to fear.
“Let’s give it a shot!”
“Isn’t the first one always the hardest?”
“If there are fewer coming, we’re obviously winning!”
Everyone boldly shouted, weapons raised high. Morale was at an all-time high.
Ghislaine nodded with a satisfied smile. Indeed, most problems could be resolved with money. If things were not going well, they simply had to worry about whether there was a shortage of funds.
In stark contrast to Ghislaine’s confidence, Marquis Alferen whispered, flustered.
“M-my Duke! The Allied Forces don’t have that much extra funding!”
“It’s fine.”
“No! It’s not fine! The finances are lacking!”
While Ghislaine always claimed things were okay, from everyone else’s viewpoint, it certainly wasn’t.
The promised reward sum was astronomical. Even a modest kingdom would buckle under the strain of such expenses.
Especially since everyone was facing dire financial crises at the moment. The spoils they planned to share were meant to stabilize their situation.
However, if the Supreme Commander made such a promise, the Allied Forces would ultimately have to figure out how to foot the bill.
“Aren’t we barely securing our food supplies right now?”
Drought and disease had struck back-to-back. The war had dragged on for a long time. Most kingdoms were struggling to secure food.
Right now, over half of the Allied Forces’ provisions had come from the Ruthania Kingdom.
Had they not boosted productivity in Ruthania, the war would have ended in defeat for the Allied Forces.
Nonetheless, Ghislaine maintained a nonchalant expression.
“It’ll be fine.”
“D-do you really have that much money, Duke?”
“I have a lot, but not that much. Hahaha. How could I possibly pay the salaries of all the Allied Forces soldiers?”
“……”
“Let’s think about that when the time comes.”
“……”
“Oh, we can scrape together enough somehow. If there’s no money, then we can just give material goods instead.”
Ghislaine paid no mind to the small details. To be honest, he wasn’t even sure how much treasury he had left.
At first, he had checked every single detail and took the lead, but now that his faction had grown so large, it was difficult for him to manage everything directly.
Claude understood this, but he wasn’t present to confirm it.
But it was okay. If they were still short on resources, they could always “acquire” from elsewhere.
There was no need to dig into those specifics, so he brushed past them.
Marquis Alferen shot Ghislaine a suspicious glance.
‘He somehow manages to resolve everything… but I’m scared of what methods he might employ.’
He was afraid to inquire about his methods. So, Marquis Alferen refrained from asking further. He didn’t even want to know.
He simply hoped that they would be able to secure the needed funds safely.
In any case, thanks to Ghislaine’s confident declaration, the slightly boosted morale of the troops quickly moved into action.
The newly reorganized army quickly joined the fortresses, and it wasn’t long before most fortresses were hit by the Monster Wave.
Kaaaarack!
As they witnessed a monstrous horde, soldiers who had fought at the Forward Fortress thought:
“Duke Penris is a liar!”
The monsters truly were coming in droves.
*
Ghislaine was not lying.
The sheer number was overwhelming that the soldiers couldn’t compare properly, but compared to the Forward Fortress, there were indeed fewer monsters.
Moreover, the Cyclopes had also stopped appearing. So, there was no need to worry about Cyclopean catapults like before.
Kaaaarack!
Even so, the Monster Wave was no small matter. The troops in each fortress fought valiantly against the monsters.
Fortunately, unlike the Forward Fortress, they were able to hold back the monsters without severe damage. Superhumans like Ghislaine had come to lend support to each fortress, and Wizards joined forces with the front-line soldiers.
However, there was one fortress that received no support. They believed they could hold it down just fine without it.
Kraaarack!
Even in the face of a large-scale onslaught of monsters, the soldiers defending the fortress didn’t even flinch.
These were the Ruthania Army, evaluated as the strongest force among the Allied Forces.
“Fire!”
Under Tenent’s command, the first to spring into action were the catapults.
Drrrrrrrrr!
“Fire!”
Galbarik echoed Tenent’s command, and nearly 300 catapults sent rocks hurtling through the air.
In addition to the Galbarium catapults that the Mobile Army possessed, there were over a hundred large catapults brought from the expedition.
Monsters were swept away by the hundreds with each massive barrage of catapult fire.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
The sound of rocks crushing monsters echoed incessantly. Among the flying monsters, many were struck down by soaring stones.
It was such a satisfying sight for the onlookers. Galbarik, commanding the siege, puffed out his chest proudly.
“Indeed, our dwarven-made catapults are the finest on the continent.”
The catapults from Penris were unparalleled, with their destructive power and precision on another level altogether.
Their firing rate reached twice that of conventional catapults.
Moreover, they exhibited no jamming issues, making it a source of pride for Galbarik and the dwarves.
However, Galbarik and the dwarves soon found themselves on the verge of tears.
“I really wanted to die, I was so exhausted. Just look at how much weight I’ve lost.”
“I’ve done nothing but work for days, and this war just won’t end. When will it be over?”
“If it weren’t for that persistent Alfoy, I could’ve run away ages ago.”
“Claude’s a problem too. He’s just dying to eat people alive.”
Ghislaine might have set the plans and direction, but the dwarves’ complaints were levelled at Claude and Alfoy.
They were the ones torturing them directly.
The dwarves continued to grumble as they commanded the siege weapons.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
If they were facing even a modest human army, they would have been utterly annihilated by advancing.
However, the monsters somehow pressed onward through the rain of stones, purely due to their sheer numbers.
The flying monsters, being able to soar through the air, were the first to approach the fortress.
Archers and Archer Cavalry lifted their bows as the flying monsters entered their range.
Leading them, the Elf Lumina let out a soft whistle.
Whiiip―!
Even amidst the battle cries of the monsters, her whistle pierced everyone’s ears.
Gifted with exceptional communication ability, she was becoming increasingly adept at connecting with nature as time passed.
Soon, tens of thousands of arrows filled the sky.
Papatapatapapa-pak!
Kaaaarack!
As each flying monster entered range, they dropped like flies, their heads and bodies pierced.
The improved bows crafted in Penris boasted excellent power and range. The flying monsters couldn’t even approach the fortress before falling victim to the rain of arrows.
Meanwhile, Ascon, trained as an archer, stood patiently on one side, slowly drawing his bowstring.
“Phew… Damn, today I’m truly hitting the mark.”
He was still stinging from his pride, having always come in last during archery training despite being an Elf.
“I can’t lose to a mere human archer.”
This was a matter of Elven pride.
Ascon aimed at the largest wyvern among the approaching creatures.
Squeeeeek…
He concentrated, pulling back his bowstring. Even with the chaos swirling around him, it didn’t matter.
The arrow would ride the wind, hitting its mark.
A skill only an elf could master.
It took a bit of time to aim, but the opportunity was worth it for such a potent strike.
‘I can feel the wind.’
Every sense in his body guided him. Now was the time. The wind whispered that he could pierce through that massive wyvern.
‘Ride the wind.’
Fwoosh!
Swaaaaaaaaaaaash!
The arrow sailed through the air, piercing deeply into the oncoming wyvern’s body.
Kaaaarack!
The wyvern let out a shrill cry of pain as it plummeted.
“Ha.”
Ascon slicked his hair back and flashed a cocky smile.
In truth, he had hit a smaller wyvern far off the original target, but who cared?
“Damn, hitting anything at this point is good. Isn’t it, Shivara? Oh wait, Shivara isn’t here right now.”
Shivara was down at the stables below the fortress, munching on feed.
Even after that, Ascon blindly fired arrow after arrow. With so many monsters swarming, flinging them wildly still resulted in some hits.
And that felt quite good.
With each catapult strike and arrow volley, countless monsters were claimed before they could reach the fortress.
However, some monsters still managed to push through.
Kraaarack!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ogres, trolls, bugbears, and other large monsters charged toward the fortress. A considerable number of smaller monsters followed closely behind them.
There were still plenty more monsters lurking behind. It was far too early to redirect the catapults and arrows toward the fortress’ vicinity.
The monsters that had made it to near the fortress would be dealt with by the Wizards instead.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Flame pillars erupted, and lightning struck down. The ground shook violently, burying the monsters.
The Ruthania Army had a considerable number of Wizards. Every time they triumphed in the civil wars, Ghislaine had captured the mages as prisoners.
Additionally, he had tied any Wizards that came to their territories into contracts.
Those belonging to the Penris Magic Corps poured their magical energy without restraint to sweep away the monsters.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Kraaarack!
Under the relentless assault of the Ruthania Army, the number of monsters dwindled rapidly. However, no matter how formidable the Ruthania Army, they couldn’t slay every monster surging towards them.
In the end, some monsters managed to attach themselves to the fortress walls. The large monsters banged against the walls, while the small ones climbed over the larger ones to reach the top.
“Block them!”
At Tenent’s shout, the soldiers thrust their shields forward.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In an instant, a wall of shields formed. Several monsters fell, finding no foothold.
But some of them scaled even the shields.
Kraaarack!
The monsters, filled with frenzy, let out jubilant roars. They were finally able to kill the living beings right before their eyes.
Yet, even as the monsters leaped over them, the soldiers standing their ground didn’t move an inch. They didn’t even turn their heads.
They gazed fixedly forward, gripping their shields tightly. It was possible because they believed in their comrades behind them.
And that trust did not betray them.
Soon, countless spears erupted into the air from behind the shields.
Papatapatapapa-pak!
Kaaaarack!
Most monsters perished before they could even delve into the ranks. Even those that did manage to breach the formation were subjected to concentrated fire and met their demise without accomplishing anything.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Soldiers waiting in the rear quickly cleared away the monster corpses with long poles and hooks.
Thanks to that, the frontline soldiers maintained their formation without significant disruption.
It was a remarkably precise and seamless operation. This was the result of countless training sessions orchestrated by Ghislaine and the reason why the Ruthania Army had become a strong force.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Even with the Wizards working to restrain them, more and more monsters swarmed beneath the fortress.
Observing the situation, Tenent issued new orders to the Wizards.
“Leave the center alone and concentrate the attacks on both sides.”
The Wizards immediately complied. As the magic focused on the flanks of the fortress, the monsters began to crowd the center.
And just as they had been surveying the battleground, one figure leaped down in front of the fortress.
Boom!
Kraaarack!
As the food presented itself, the monsters roared and surged forward.
The first to charge was a massive ogre swinging its club. It was an attack that could turn any average person into a pulp in a single blow.
But the one who jumped in front of the fortress was no ordinary human.
Drr-drr-drr.
Parniel tightened her grip. Muscles bulged along her thick arms.
Her giant mace flew toward the ogre’s club.
Kraaarack!
The ogre’s club shattered effortlessly. Before the ogre even realized what had happened, Parniel’s mace swung back around.
Kraaarack!
With a brutal impact, Parniel’s mace demolished the ogre’s side. It went in so powerfully that the ogre’s thick body momentarily appeared slimmer.
Without even a scream, the ogre crumpled to the ground, its breath extinguished.
Not only had its ribcage been shattered, but its insides burst from the shock as well.
Kraaarack!
The shockwave produced by Parniel’s strike pushed nearby monsters back a step.
She closed her eyes and drew a Holy Symbol.
“O Goddess, I shall purge all wickedness today. Grant me strength to repel this darkness.”
Bam!
When Parniel opened her eyes again, a powerful divine energy began to radiate from her.
