The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 988: Volume 32: Dark Clouds Sweep Over - 6: War without Declaration

Chapter 988: Volume 32: Dark Clouds Sweep Over Chapter 6: War without Declaration

If the three forces standing in front of the review stand were the foundation upon which Komer swept across all of Nicosia, then the half-elf crossbowmen and mortal light infantry quietly standing at the flanks of the review stand were the solid reliance that allowed Nicosia to stand firm on the Continent.

They lacked the arrogance of the beastmen and barbarians, as well as the knights’ restraint and pride; what they possessed was a resilience that lay within their calm and steadfast nature. They were the best defense troops, unafraid whether facing frenzied beast warriors or fierce human cavalry. To them, defending their homeland with life and blood served as the ultimate self-affirmation.

With such an army standing behind oneself, one would never need to worry about betrayal from within; they offer an absolute assurance of peace of mind.

Komer unconsciously licked his lips, immediately realizing that this was a sign of his nervousness. It was understandable to feel nervous and excited at such times, but Komer did not allow himself to show his emotions during formal occasions.

What a ruler always needed was only calmness and rationality.

"Knights, warriors, and respected friends, I’m sure you all are well aware of why we are standing here today. It’s simple, the aggressors have torn off their hypocritical masks, blatantly abandoning all laws that bound human morals and reason, and have brazenly invaded our Nicosian territory. I hereby declare my stance; I cannot tolerate such an occurrence."

"If it were the beastmen from the Northern Wasteland, perhaps I could bear it, since those creatures have never been bathed in the light of civilization. However, these fellows are just like us, long settled on this land within the Blue Continent, where the shine of our human civilization had reached far and wide. Yet, they have brazenly subverted these principles we’ve always adhered to and followed, unabashedly revealing their greedy nature. They think us Nicosians can only suffer in silence, can only weep and endure with resignation, but now I tell them they are wrong! They will pay for everything they have done!"

"Nicosia is a member of the Northern Alliance just the same, only those fellows have already excluded us from the Alliance. Since that is the case, Nicosia no longer sees any reason to observe the agreements and treaties previously reached. I formally announce that Nicosia is no longer a member of the Northern Alliance, and furthermore, Nicosia is officially at war with the Northern Alliance! We will defend the dignity of our territory and the unyielding resolve of the Nicosian people with my blood!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, the invaders will surely fail, and they must pay for their arrogance and greed! I hereby tell all Nicosians and all people of the Northern Alliance, until our legitimate demands are met in full, Nicosia will never enter into any peace agreement with the Northern Alliance! I swear it!"

"My knights and warriors, and my mages will use their power to witness Nicosia’s invincibility and insurmountability. We will use our wisdom to prove our determination and bravery. I pray for us all; we shall triumph in the end!"

The surging cheers rolled like waves over the chests of the soldiers and knights beneath the review stand. The long-suppressed fervor and tension were finally unleashed at this moment, blending battle lust and killing intent. At this time, whether they were frenzied warriors or fired-up knights, in their minds there was only one goal: conquest and glory!

In this moment, Komer, too, was incredibly excited, the onrushing tide making difficult to contain himself; like spring thunder on awakening hibernating creatures, Komer found he had never craved war so much before, the desire to lead from the front and experience firsthand the baptism of blood and fire. He longed for the war to help him regain long-lost passion and dreams.

Roars and howls, restrained shouts, echoed around the parade ground in front of the review stand. Forests of spears waved in the air, shields reflecting the sunlight. Komer stood proudly with his hands behind his back on the review stand, and at this time only he could fully enjoy the pride that glory brought him.

Like a flood bursting forth, the Caucasus army deeply penetrated the Cartin Control Zone from two directions, completely disregarding the presence of the Atticans, and swiftly advanced westward along their planned route.

Baoling had not felt such an impulse and passion for galloping through the battlefield in a long time.

Ever since Mycenae fell, he and his superior, Fran, seemed to forget where joy originated from, but this time he felt he could find the source of happiness again. It was precisely because of those despicable Northern Alliance trash that the Myronians were betrayed, which led to the collapse of the Myron Duchy. Those Beastmen could not have so easily broken through the defense system of the Myron Duchy if it weren’t for the clandestine support from the Northern Alliance, and the reason was merely because those guys wanted to hit at Nicosia.

His Southern Front forces were tirelessly cutting through the lowlands southwest of Godeburg, moving into the eastern part of the Cartin Control Zone, consisting of five thousand Light Infantry coupled with ten thousand Half-beastman Heavy Infantry and twelve thousand Barbarian Berserkers, plus a thousand Half-elf Crossbowmen. Baoling was confident that even without the assistance of a Knights regiment and Magicians, he could plunge into the Attican camp and fight his way in and out thrice over.

However, he was equally aware that this time, Lord Komer had mobilized all his armed forces not just to break the enemy, nor even to rout them, but to annihilate them, to completely wipe out both the Atticans and Cretans on the land of Cartin without a single survivor.

The news now was that three thousand troops led by Dragumo had firmly drawn the Cretans into the remote southern part of Cartin; his own task, along with the rapidly advancing Fran Army from the north, was to thoroughly eradicate the Atticans in the shortest time possible, complete the encirclement of the Northern Alliance invasion forces, seal off their retreat, and while securing the pocket, swallow up the still groggy Northern Alliance invasion forces bit by bit.

The Homer Knight Order, moving as silently as shadows, followed closely behind the striding Half-beastman Army and Barbarian Army. A Knight Order of fifteen hundred was considered one of the few formidable armed forces on the Blue Continent. Lecler did not underestimate the enemy just because the opposing commander was a young man who had risen from the ranks of soldiers of the Myron Duchy. Numerous facts had proven one thing: that Komer always had the knack for appointing the right person in the right place.

From Renta managing the affairs of Poznan and Silesia, to his own commission to rebuild the Homer Knights, from a fallen merchant’s child being appointed as the spokesperson for Nicosia’s interests in the Southern Mediterranean to Puber taking on the role of Nicosia’s Finance Officer, all proved Komer’s wisdom in recognizing people’s strengths.

Baoling also recognized Lecler’s exceptional standing within the Homer Knights and the entire knightly forces; he respected the other but was not worried about him. Komer had entrusted him with the commander’s responsibility, so he naturally had to fulfill the commander’s duty. He did not need to please anyone; he only needed to conquer everyone with his own experience and wisdom in war.

"Mr. Lecler, I believe we can enter Lure City by tonight, and tomorrow, at the latest the day after, we will meet the Atticans," Baoling’s posture was ramrod straight. He wasn’t adept at riding horses, but as the commander, it would appear too pretentious still to be on foot.

"Hmm, Mr. Baoling, perhaps we will encounter the Atticans before the Northern Army does. Do you have any thoughts?" Lecler was reserved, but not deliberately arrogant.

"Heh, that’s precisely what I wish to consult Mr. Lecler about. You have extensive battle experience, and the Knight Order will also play a leading role in this war. I would like to hear your opinion."

"It’s nothing special, but the Northern Alliance has always focused on the strength of their Knights’ regiments. To be precise, although their individual quality may not necessarily surpass ours, their numbers and overall strength have always been far beyond that of Nicosia, which I believe Mr. Baoling would have understood from the intelligence reported back by Mr. Maha Gummi. This also means that their striking power in the plains is very strong. Even though we have the Half-beastman Army and the Mountain people as stopping forces... No, even with them, their mobility is still quite astonishing, which is something we need to pay special attention to."

Lecler did not feign modesty at such a crucial time concerning the whole battle situation. Whether publicly or privately, he was obliged to provide the commander with what he knew to the best of his ability.

"Hmm, mobility, you mean they specialize in flanking maneuvers and attacking from behind?"

"Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. They are skilled at using part of their forces to engage our main force from the front and then launching surprise attacks from the flanks. This way, even if we are aware they will strike, their high mobility allows them to initiate attacks from many directions, making it hard to defend against, meaning we must commit significant resources to guard."

Lecler nodded. The other had a strong capacity to understand, but he was only a warrior skilled in infantry combat; could he bear this heavy responsibility? Lecler did not disguise his concern. (To be continued. For the rest of the story, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available, support the author, support authorized reading!)