The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 449: Volume 9: Phantom of the Ancient Castle - 8: Intervention

Chapter 449: Volume 9: Phantom of the Ancient Castle Chapter 8: Intervention

Six people stood silently atop the hill, gazing at the distant town, as Komer watched the horizon, lost in thought.

The blonde half-beastman who followed close behind Komer was dressed quite differently from when they first met. His neatly combed blonde hair seemed to reveal a hint of golden shine, and his somewhat rough appearance looked refined under the cover of his fitted merchant’s attire, bearing the air of a successful small-time merchant. Only the gleam in his eyes remained unchanged.

Komer’s expression was rather somber. He hadn’t expected Homer’s army to arrive so swiftly. In just the few short days since they infiltrated Leon, Homer’s forces had already made significant moves.

Leaving only five hundred soldiers to guard Bruce Fortress, over five thousand soldiers struck Banassia with lightning speed, catching the rebellious armed slaves in the north off guard. The nearly twenty thousand armed slaves stood no chance against Homer’s army’s diamond formation, bolstered by its powerful charge that shattered their main force. Over four thousand slaves died in the battle, over six thousand were captured, and more than three hundred slaves’ heads were hung throughout Banassia Town.

The remaining few thousand slaves mostly fled south, led by someone called the "rescuing knight," to join the mob armed forces in the eastern region of Izmir. A small number scattered and fled on the spot.

Of the captured slaves, apart from some who were publicly beheaded, most were returned to their status as slave miners by the pursuing mine owners leading private armies.

The fierce strike of Homer’s great army devastated the once-glorious northern mob armed forces, making those who had once believed in their superior armed might realize they were no match for a regular army. The prowess of Homer’s forces sent them into panic, unsure of how to confront this relentlessly advancing formidable enemy.

It was under these circumstances that Komer and his party arrived in Mandu, a key town in the southern part of Leon. Seeing the poor performance of the mob armed forces, Homer’s southbound army split into two groups: one heading straight for Izmir, following the southern route from Banassia, and the other veering southwest, aiming to destroy Mandu Town, the most crucial base for the slave mobs throughout Leon.

"Maha Gummi, when they say they hope for our help, what exactly do they hope to receive from us? Haven’t we already provided them with the weapons, food, and various supplies as agreed? What else do they need?"

Komer was obviously concerned, having not anticipated such a swift collapse of the mob forces. Although he had never placed his hopes on the mob defeating Homer’s army, the crushing defeat of forces several times larger than their adversary was deeply disappointing and compounded his worries.

"Sir, it’s no longer about weapons or food. These armed slaves have never undergone formal training, and they simply can’t break through the concentrated formations of a regular army. They could only watch helplessly as Homer’s forces breached their loose lines. I heard that a magician from Cyprus cast magic, bringing down lightning from the sky, which utterly shattered the already wavering will of the armed mob, causing their defense lines to collapse instantly. As a result, Homer’s army achieved such a significant victory without any loss. So now, these mob forces hope we can join the fight directly, preferably providing them with commanders and even mages. Uh, they also realize that we Caucasians have been supporting them, so..."

Perhaps because he too felt that their demands were somewhat unreasonable, Maha Gummi’s tone became hesitant, worried that these words might anger the Lord.

"Hmph, they think of us now? Why didn’t they accept our advice in the beginning?" Komer snorted indifferently, clearly unsurprised by their requests.

This was to be expected. Although the mob had large numbers, and the Caucasus provided them with plenty of arms and materials, what the Caucasus supplied, combined with the weapons they seized from defeated noble private soldiers, was far from sufficient for the eighty thousand strong mob forces. More critically, they lacked formal training, which was not something that could be developed overnight.

Although Komer, through Maha Gummi, had made suggestions to the mob forces after their initial victories, urging them to slow their expansion, focus on formal training, and even offering secret military instructors from the Caucasus if they wished, the mob forces, blinded by their successes, did not heed the Caucasus’ advice. Now, they were reaping the consequences.

"Sir, as you know, most of these people are former slaves, lacking insight and long-term planning. They were deluded by superficial triumphs. A fight against the similarly untrained local noble private soldiers might have given them a chance, but against Homer’s regular forces, they face certain death. If we do not help them now, I can assert that within two weeks, both Mandu and Izmir will fall back into the hands of Homer’s forces, and these mobs may even all flee to our Caucasus."

Maha Gummi never disguised his disappointment in his fellow countrymen. He had a deep understanding of the armed forces organized by his compatriots and never believed they could defeat Homer’s army.