The Immortal Genius Spearman

Chapter 169

"Huff..."

Damian exhaled slowly as he opened his eyes, ending his mana training.

He had sensed the scouts returning to the camp.

"Since stepping into the realm of aura, my sensory abilities have improved," he thought.

Particularly while using the Delft Mana Training Method, his perception seemed sharper than ever.

Rising from his seat, Damian headed to where the Caion Unit soldiers were stationed.

"Ah, Commander!"

"Have the scouts returned?"

"We were just about to go retrieve them," Dianal said as he approached with Paul, the returning scout.

Damian looked at Paul. "What’s the situation?"

"No enemy forces are ambushing outside the city walls. In fact, there isn’t even a suitable location for a proper ambush."

As expected, most of the enemy forces were concentrated near the main gate, facing off against the allied forces.

"We couldn’t get a detailed look inside the city, but it seems likely that once the battle starts, the defenders will come out of the city to engage us. Additionally, the city walls are taller than we expected. Without breaching the gates, entering will be difficult."

"Hmm, I see," Damian replied.

This validated his earlier plan: the Caion Unit, under his command, would strike at the city’s flank where defenses were thinner.

If they breached the walls and opened the gates, the main army could rush in—a strategy with the potential for overwhelming success.

Paul continued his report. "However, there’s no cover outside the city, so sneaking around to the side without being seen isn’t possible."

"That’s fine. Our visible movement could force the enemy to divide their forces, which is also part of the strategy."

Damian patted Paul on the shoulder. "Good work. Take your men and rest until further orders."

"Yes, sir," Paul responded, bowing slightly before leaving.

Damian turned to Dianal. "I’m going to report this to the Corps Commander. Be prepared to mobilize the unit immediately when the order comes."

"Understood," Dianal replied.

Damian made his way to Kiaran’s command post, where she was already in discussion with Matirn and Weiner, the commanders from the Iren and Tirkan Kingdoms.

"Glory to the Kingdom!"

Damian saluted as he approached, and Kiaran nodded in acknowledgment.

"What news from the scouts?"

"I’ve come to report. As anticipated, the enemy forces are concentrated near the main gate, with no signs of ambush outside the city."

Damian also shared the details of his plan: the Caion Unit would circle around to the city’s side, drawing some of the defenders away from the gate and breaking through the walls.

Kiaran frowned slightly. "Are you certain about this? Dividing their forces could benefit us, but the Caion Unit is relatively small. Even if just 1,000 or 2,000 enemy soldiers break off, it could overwhelm your unit."

"We’ll manage," Damian replied confidently. "If we breach the wall quickly and open the gates, their forces will be caught between us and the main army. We can trap and crush them."

Kiaran hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, but remember the weight of the Caion Unit’s role. If your unit falters, we’ll suffer a significant loss in strength."

"Understood. We’ll await your signal and move at your command," Damian replied firmly.

"Good," Kiaran said before turning to Matirn and Weiner.

"Let’s wrap up the planning here. We’ll launch the attack at dawn tomorrow."

The others nodded, and Kiaran continued outlining her strategy.

***

Bwooooooo!

The signal horn from the allied forces echoed across the battlefield.

From the watchtower, the guards of Nardern quickly struck their warning bell.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

"The enemy is attacking! Enemy forces incoming!"

As the alarm spread, Nardern’s soldiers sprang into action.

"Hurry! Form ranks quickly!"

"Archers to your positions! Be ready to fire as soon as they’re in range!"

"Frontline infantry, form up at the gates! Prepare to engage the moment they approach!"

The city erupted into activity as soldiers rushed to their posts. Soon, 30,000 defenders were arrayed in formation outside the city walls.

At the forefront stood cavalry and shield-bearers, their ranks tightly packed. Behind them were lines of grim-faced infantry. Archers were stationed on the walls, alongside Nardern’s commander, Bertom.

Bertom scowled as he watched the approaching allied forces and turned to his lieutenant. "When is Piaren and his army supposed to arrive?"

"Based on the last update, at least a day—possibly two days from now," the lieutenant replied.

"A day or two... tch!"

Bertom clicked his tongue in frustration at the lieutenant's reply.

The enemy was already launching their attack, and reinforcements were still at least a day, perhaps two, away.

"Do they plan to arrive after the war is over?"

Although he detested the situation, considering the distance to the capital, it was inevitable.

Pushing his helmet firmly onto his head, Bertom issued a command. "Until reinforcements arrive, focus solely on defense. Do not engage until the enemy is within effective range."

"Understood!"

The lieutenant promptly relayed the orders, and Bertom observed the advancing allied forces.

Their numbers were smaller than he had expected.

Yet their broad, carefully arranged formation caused him to furrow his brow.

"Are they planning something?"

It was clear the enemy had a strategy in mind. As the allied forces entered the range of the archers, Bertom's eyes narrowed.

"Archers! Prepare to fire!"

"Archers, prepare! Take aim!"

The lieutenant echoed Bertom's command, and the archers stationed along the walls began drawing their bows.

"Ready!"

"All set!"

"Ready for orders!"

The officers commanding the archers shouted their readiness. Bertom glanced at the enemy's position and bellowed.

"Fire!"

"Fireeeee!"

Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip!

Fwoosh!

At the command, a deluge of arrows soared into the sky, casting a vast shadow over the battlefield as thousands of projectiles filled the air.

The moment the arrows surged upward from Nardern, Kiaran's voice rang out.

"Hold! Raise shields!"

Piiiiiiiii!

A long whistle echoed across the allied forces, signaling the troops.

Thunk! Thunk!

Boom!

The advancing allied forces stopped in their tracks, lifting their shields diagonally to form a solid barrier.

Thud! Clatter-clatter-clatter!

Arrows rained down like a storm, embedding themselves in the shields or bouncing off harmlessly, clattering to the ground.

Bertom's face twisted in surprise as he watched the allied forces swiftly and efficiently adjust their formation mid-march.

"An alliance army that moves in such perfect unison? What kind of sorcery is this?"

But in stark contrast to his astonishment, Kiaran calmly issued her next order.

"Good. Keep those shields up and advance to the beat of the drums! Step forward, slowly!"

"Understood!"

"Advance to the drumbeat! Keep moving steadily!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

At a pace of one step every two seconds, the rhythmic drum beats guided the soldiers forward.

Though their strides were short, less than 70 centimeters, and their progress slow, the disciplined march exuded an intimidating pressure that bore down on the Imperial soldiers.

Watching from his position, Dianal swallowed hard.

"Incredible... To maneuver such a large force with such precision... It’s awe-inspiring."

Dianal spoke with genuine admiration.

He had heard of Kiaran's reputation countless times, but seeing her leadership in action was an entirely different experience.

He continued, almost in awe. "Now I understand why the Sixth Corps Commander is called the Iron Empress of the Baroque Kingdom."

Kiaran’s strength, both in combat and command, had earned her widespread recognition.

Her ability to lead the Sixth Corps, entrusted with defending the most perilous frontlines, made perfect sense now.

Damian nodded in agreement. "She truly is remarkable."

Her contributions in past wars were nothing short of extraordinary.

While they had ultimately been overwhelmed, it was Kiaran’s tactical acumen that had bought enough time to save tens of thousands of lives.

That war had been doomed from the outset due to poor initial planning—something even Kiaran couldn’t salvage.

But now...

"Things are completely different."

With the current situation evenly matched, Kiaran’s chances of victory were vastly improved.

Even against the overwhelming might of the Empire, Kiaran was unlikely to falter.

And her strategy wasn’t even close to its conclusion.

The truly terrifying part was...

"It’s just getting started," Damian murmured as he glanced at Kiaran.

At that moment, the formation of her soldiers began to change.