Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 487 - 487 228 Tactics Are Unpredictable

487: Chapter 228: Tactics Are Unpredictable 487: Chapter 228: Tactics Are Unpredictable The thunderous iron hooves churned up vast swaths of mud as the two hundred cavalry of the Thorny Flower Family on the right wing of the battlefield collided fiercely with the five hundred Urian cavalry advancing upon them.

Warhorses crashed, spears reverberated, the screams and neighs of men and horses tumbling in chaos merged into a symphony of slaughter on the battlefield.

The massive cavalry clash, unavoidable and overwhelming, prevented either side from piercing through the other; the riders, unable to breach their foes’ formations, were forced to halt amidst the melee, grappling in deadly combat with the enemies in front of them.

The knights in the fray abandoned their blood-stained long spears, now ineffective, drew the nail head hammers and swords from their waists, swinging and smashing, fighting Urian opponents from horseback down to the ground.

Flanking phalanxes of spearmen encircled and advanced, aiding the knights in trapping the Urian cavalry.

Amid the forest of spears, scythe spears reached out, hooking desert riders off their mounts.

Short-weapon warriors charged forth, using thrust hammers and swords to pierce and fell the proud Urian warhorses through their armor gaps.

The central formation of Urian cavalry launched a second wave of charge.

Without the obstruction and dispersal by knights, the enormous mounted troops slashed unbridled through the Thorny Flower central army’s flank.

Their cavalry spears, longer than Orland infantry’s long spears, overwhelmed in numbers, ceaselessly harvesting the lives of soldiers at these flank edges, forcing the Northern army’s line to falter…

As one side of the battlefield plunged into drawn-out combat, the left wing was disrupted as griffins swooped down, overturning several desert riders.

The enormous beast skimmed across them from an aerial dimension, instantly throwing the Urian charge formation into chaos.

At the same moment, Leon activated the magic power.

A faint, unnoticed veil of light spread out from the saddle of Death Claw.

Among the two hundred charging Thorny Flower cavalry, leading Avalon knights felt a surging power rising within them.

Their armor and weapons instantly seemed as if weightless.

Lokhak, Azeryan, and the other guard knights spurring their mounts forward, were unsurprised by the Boiling Power now flooding their bodies.

“For Avalon!!”

The deafening war cry erupted from Lokhak, roaring beneath his horsehair battle helmet.

Beneath their own helmets, a dozen knights’ faces flushed crimson.

Rivers of men converged, steel clashed.

—Bang!—Bang!—Bang!…

A torrent of weapon clashes sounded out as countless Urians were sent flying by the sheer force of the Avalon knights.

At the forefront, Lokhak barely seemed to acknowledge the force of enemy spears striking against his armor.

He wielded his halberd in sweeping arcs, smashing several foes off their mounts with twisted bodies and shattered armor.

With the addition of over ten powerful Knights of Valor leading the charge, the two hundred Thorny Flower cavalry, spearheaded by the knights’ relentless blows, almost sliced through the disarrayed Urian formation like a hot blade through butter.

Unfurling its massive wings, the griffin descended with a terrifying howl, its body spinning in sudden turns, sending clutches of riders flying with its beastly claws.

On the extreme left wing, Baron Reddo seized the opportunity.

He raised his spear high and, mounted, led his formation of halberdiers to attack.

The Beast Taming Hunters unshackled their iron chains.

Dozens of war dogs clad in iron armor, driven mad by the scent of blood, howled as they charged into the disrupted enemy ranks.

Leon steadied himself, seeing Baron Reddo’s formation of a hundred long-spear soldiers swiftly advancing.

He immediately urged Death Claw to ascend into the air.

The War Fierce Dogs and Duwana Long Spear Soldiers quickly took over positions, plunging into the battle formation one after the other.

At the rear of the Urian cavalry, morale had collapsed.

They were blocked by the large numbers of their own troops ahead, and unwilling to engage in chaotic melee with infantry without adequate speed, they pulled back to regroup.

Gazing at the retreating enemy, Leon halted the pursuit by his left-wing army.

At this moment, the enemy’s most elite core units had already approached not far off.

“…

Cavalry, regroup!

…

Baron Reddo, hold your line steady!”

Soaring above knights and long-spear soldiers, Leon wielded the magic gun and pointed toward the phalanx of spearmen behind, including his own mixed crossbow unit.

“Sergeant Matthieu!

Form four-echelon lines around me!”

Shouting loudly, the griffin landed with a thunderous crash upon a shallow hill.

Hearing the marching footsteps of the shooter formations behind him arriving at the left flank in precise order, Leon glanced toward the right flank not far off, where two battalions of regrouped Thorny Flower cavalry were now ready.

Turning his gaze forward, he stared intently at the distant Urian banner now maneuvering to flank the Thorny Flower left wing.

From several hundred meters away, Archer likewise stared back at the Northern troops, who remained poised and firm.

The lack of chaotic engagement made him deliberate whether to press the assault immediately or continue the maneuver.

But a sharp, resonating horn forced Archer to glance back southward in the direction he had come.

At some point, atop the hill on the high slope, another group of unidentified Felu cavalry had appeared…

Eriv, leading his troops in a swift raid, surveyed the battlefield before unsheathing the Thorny Sword and shouting furiously:

“—Orland!!”

The Thorny Flower Earl charged first down the high hill.

“—Orland!!” Over a hundred River Valley County lords and knights yelled as they raised their guns, storming into the rear of the enemy forces embroiled with the Thorny Flower’s right-wing formation.

Behind the Knights of Valor, hundreds of heavy cavalry thundered forward on galloping hooves, with emblems flying and banners streaming in their wake, launching a grand charge.

“…”

From afar, Archer hesitated briefly as he gazed upon the enemy reinforcements that had emerged so suddenly.

To continue leading the troops in a desperate fight—if the griffin knight ahead could be swiftly slain, perhaps the battle’s outcome remained uncertain.

But he was unwilling and unable to continue risking everything for the Kantadar people.

Sacrificing all of his tribe’s warriors who had followed him into battle, just to die in vain for the Kantadar Duke’s war—what was the point?

“Retreat…

Full retreat!”

…

Leon gripped Garner tightly, awaiting the enemy’s assault.

Yet from afar, he saw the Urian heavy cavalry armored in black decisively turning their mounts away from the battlefield.

The wailing prairie war horn carried an air of resentment as Urian cavalry who had yet to plunge into mortal combat heard the signal to retreat.

They fled with greater speed than when they had arrived, retreating in droves like a tidal wave.

No Urian wished to die meaninglessly in the Northern lands.

Having received the commander’s orders, they turned their mounts and chased their banners in a wild gallop toward the southeast.

Balfe took advantage of the enemy’s retreat, swiftly commanding his formation to press forward across the line, with several left-wing infantry phalanxes maneuvering to encircle the enemy forces unable to escape on the right flank of the battlefield.

Watching the victory cemented, the scar-faced baron gazed regretfully at the retreating Urians moving farther and farther away.

Infantry naturally could not catch up to the retreating Urian cavalry’s relentless gallop, and the detached noble lords’ forces seemed able to muster only four hundred riders in pursuit.

Such numbers were insufficient to complete the encirclement; it was destined that not all the enemies could be detained…

…

The cries of battle on the wilderness gradually fell quiet.

As the last standing Urian was struck down, the blood-soaked battlefield was finally overtaken by the triumphant shouts of the Orland forces proclaiming victory.

Yet only the noble commanders leading the army understood there was no time for relaxation.

The remaining Thorny Flower cavalry regrouped with River Valley County’s noble-led cavalry battalion.

Eriv ordered Balfe to leave one thousand troops behind to clean the battlefield while swiftly assembling the remaining battle-ready Felu heavy cavalry to return south.

“Leon, relay my command: have the River Valley County infantry that haven’t reached here yet immediately turn back toward Beyerl Village to support Baron Anquela’s rear guard.” Relentlessly pressing forward, Eriv raised his head and shouted skyward.

Receiving the order, Leon rode his griffin ahead.

Midway, he notified the River Valley County infantry regiment trudging along to turn back, and swiftly arrived at the riverside village where Baron Anquela was stationed.