Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 486 - 486 227 Encirclement Formation_2

486: Chapter 227 Encirclement Formation_2 486: Chapter 227 Encirclement Formation_2 Under the thunderous assault signal, amidst the glinting forest of spears, footsteps shook the earth.

The spear phalanx, which had been retreating in silence earlier, now began pushing their shields forward in orderly unison.

….The Northmen couldn’t hold back anymore?

A fierce expression emerged on Archer’s face.

The tribal war chief, gifted with extraordinary eyesight, naturally noticed the griffin hovering above the enemy’s heads.

But even with such a powerful war beast, it was not enough to turn the tide of advantage on such a large-scale battlefield.

However, to leave such a colossal beast unchecked was, of course, impossible.

“Bring me my bow!” Archer shouted loudly.

A nearby guard pledged to war responded to the order, spurred his horse to the rear of their ranks, and commanded two burly slaves to haul over the massive “Dragon Hunting Bow,” along with the exaggeratedly large arrows, as oversized as siege crossbow bolts, to the war chief’s side.

Clad in heavy armor, Archer dismounted, snatched up the weighty bow single-handedly, and fixed his gaze on the Northman riding atop that horse-devouring beast….

….

The advancing Thorny Flower Army Formation suddenly shifted its previously passive stance, actively pressing forward toward the Urian cavalry.

But the grassland warriors were unperturbed; on the contrary, the advancing Northman formation reduced the range and firing frequency of their longbowmen’s volleys.

This allowed the Urian cavalry to approach closer with each slow galloping rotation, their mounted archery growing increasingly precise and ruthless.

The shields of the Thorny Flower Soldiers in the front lines had been turned into porcupines by sharp arrows and heavy bolts.

The gaps occasionally exposed during movement invited arrows to pierce through.

Wounded soldiers let out screams of agony while being pushed onward; those who tripped or fell were mercilessly trampled over by their comrades from behind.

Military law was merciless; those who disrupted the formation were executed.

Before the battle was over, no one had the luxury of aiding the injured.

Numerous soldiers were left behind, crying out in anguish.

The ground ahead was strewn with bodies—earlier casualties of Urian cavalry hooves, these Thorny Flower Soldiers had succumbed to their wounds before they could be dragged back to their ranks.

The combat was not yet underway, but already the Farolis Family had paid with dozens of lives.

While the formation relentlessly pushed forward, enduring the relentless volleys of cavalry bows, finally the waves of arrow rain gradually ceased.

Before the sturdy Thorny Flower formation, the Urians had exhausted the arrows in their quivers.

The sharp sound of military whistles rang out, and the Orland soldiers’ marching steps quickened, causing their phalanxes to slightly lose formation under the swift advance.

Carrying the massive bow, Archer let out a sneer.

Trying to constrain my mobility?

Laughable.

Behind me lies an expansive open field, plenty of space to retreat.

As long as the tribal cavalry keeps baiting the Northmen, a few withdrawals will sap the stamina of these infantrymen, causing their tightly-held formation to collapse without even being attacked.

Using infantry to chase cavalry…

Looks like their general is a short-tempered fool.

That eases things quite a bit, Archer thought.

Their meticulous formation, with its systematic retreat and alternating pressure, left him little choice for straightforward ways to break through…

Just as he was rejoicing at the prospect of a simpler resolution, a light scout with a command flag in hand frantically spurred his horse through the unblocked rear ranks.

Galloping straight to the central army banner, which the war-pledged heavy cavalry guarded fiercely.

Upon seeing the chief, the scout leapt off his horse, his face showing urgent apprehension:

“Major crisis, Chief!

The camp has been seized by the Orlands.

The Hundred Commander didn’t dare fight head-on and is retreating with his hundred-man unit.

At least two thousand Orland troops have struck from our rear!”

Archer’s eyes widened in shock.

“…Two thousand?

Impossible!

Where did so many come from?!”

Those Lion Scorpion Knights kept watch all morning, and weren’t they positioned at the far end of the western bank of the tributary, not the southern bank of the main flow?

How could two thousand Orland troops have flown over here?!

A chilling sensation ran down Archer’s spine as he cursed the damned blind Northmen from Kantadar, utterly useless.

But now was not the time to rage over useless allied scouts.

Archer barked sharply:

“Where is Alliance Leader Alkin’s reinforcements?!

Are the reinforcements here yet?!”

“The reinforcements…..

our reinforcements haven’t arrived yet.”

The scout replied, face full of despair.

Archer’s expression darkened.

Indeed, if Alliance Leader Alkin’s thousand reinforcements had arrived, he wouldn’t have lost the rear camp so quickly.

His hopes dashed, Archer clenched his teeth and looked back at the steadfastly advancing Orland formation, unyielding despite their casualties.

…Damn it all.

I’ve been tricked.

Fury rose within him as Archer spat on the ground.

Pushed, pushed, pushed—if not for those damned Kantadar Northerners urging a northern advance, would they even be on this mission from the Alliance Leader?

He was utterly foolish, motivated by greed; thinking there was no chance to partake in the plunder of Sun City, he had hoped to reap rewards at Kantadar Royal City and perhaps earn recognition from the new leader.

In hindsight, he should have just returned to the grasslands for pleasure…

After all, each tribe had stolen enough, what more was there to gain by risking everything for those Kantadar swine…

Ablo as Northern King, or Caso as Northern King, what difference would it make for the Urians?

…Was there still a chance?

The Orland reinforcements at the rear still seemed sparse, their cavalry clearly few in number.

If he could swiftly crush the army ahead…

Archer handed the massive bow and long arrow to a guard beside him, then took up his long polearm and mounted his tall warhorse again.

“Ready your orders!

The rear army will hold position…

Left and right wings, attack the Northmen’s flanks.

All other ‘war oaths,’ follow me….”

The flags and signals underwent changes; cavalry units on the left and right wings, five hundred each, distanced themselves, armed their battle bows, unslung their cavalry spears, turned their horses, and split off left and right, forming penetrative formations aimed at the Felu Knights on the opposing flanks.

Meanwhile, the fresh cavalry from the rear army advanced in five hundred-man teams, taking over the center ranks.

Five hundred warriors clad in full armor, pledged to war, sealed their terrifying bearded faceplates, wielded steel blade spears longer than infantry spears, and followed the tribal war chief, galloping down the high ridge into the battlefield.

Thousands of hooves thundered, shaking the earth.

In the skies, half-white, half-dark clouds seemed to foretell an impending storm.

Riding atop his griffin, Leon saw the enemy surging forward with menacing full force, hastily directing his winged companion to ascend higher.

Spotting a distant mass of black dots approximately three kilometers away, Leon realized that the opposing commander must have already grasped the precarious situation.

Lowering his gaze back to the battlefield.

The sudden turn of events caused the previously distanced northern and southern armies to rapidly close in on each other.

Beneath him, the Orland phalanx lowered their spears and spear blades, their long poles colliding in a continuous array of clanging sounds.

To the left and right, Urian cavalry and Thorny Flower Knights spurred their steeds faster and faster.

The crescent-shaped Urian cavalry center unleashed a volley of arrows ahead of their swords and spears, aiming at the Orland formation.

At first glance, the right and central forces seemed relatively safe, but the greatest threat lay with the heavy-armored Urian cavalry flanking on the left.

The two hundred Thorny Flower Knights on the left flank bravely launched a charge against an enemy force more than double their numbers.

The resonant battle cries of the Felu warriors and the blood-curdling screams of the Urians erupted first on the battlefield’s two flanks.

Leon realized that relying solely on his left flank’s knights and infantry phalanx would not be enough to halt the enemy’s main force from encircling them.

Pulling hard on the reins, Death Claw let out a furious roar and dove downward at astonishing speed with his rider…