In the town of Waldbach, inside the Church of Justice at the town center.
Ryan, Sulia, Carad, Pfitzman, and others stood inside the church, looking at the map of Wiesen.
On the map, three black lines extended from the south of Wiesen, having advanced very close to Waldbach.
The town's defense commander had left only over a hundred soldiers behind. He was genuinely astonished that Ryan had personally led this army to the south for support. He felt both honored and relieved.
"How much do you know about the frontline situation? How much do you know about the enemy?" Ryan asked, pointing to the area near Waldbach on the map.
Waldbach used to be a town in Sol, located on the border between Sol and Wiesen. As everyone knows, about seven hundred years ago, the Greenskin warlord "Ironclaw" Gorbald invaded the Empire and destroyed the entire Sol territory. The Elector of Sol died in battle, and the entire Elector family and all their troops were wiped out. Gorbald was finally stopped before reaching Brunswick, but Sol was unable to recover and was annexed into Wiesen.
"Currently, all the land that once belonged to Sol has almost completely fallen, with at least twenty thousand people and three thousand troops lost in this invasion," the defense commander of Waldbach reported. "Currently, only the White Tower City and a few northern towns have not fallen, but it's only a matter of time."
"How many enemies are there?" Ryan frowned. He had brought only over four thousand troops on this expedition. Considering logistics and the need to leave some men for support, he could lead no more than three thousand into battle.
"I don't know. Some soldiers and refugees from the frontline say the enemy is countless... seemingly endless," the defense commander said timidly.
"Countless?!" Before Ryan could speak, Grandmaster Pfitzman of the Order of the Sun spoke up. He was dressed in a full set of obsidian plate armor, embedded with an astonishing number of gold and silver gemstones. This set of equipment was worth an astronomical figure.
But no one's equipment at today's meeting was inferior to his.
Ryan's silver-gray knightly power armor was clearly extraordinary, though its plain appearance belied its strength.
Carad was clad in a set of Dwarven Grunmir full plate armor, forged by rune blacksmith Dron Fynsen and the Angrund clan's rune smiths. The armor gleamed brilliantly, adorned with three ancient Dwarven runes that glowed around its perimeter. Carad had spent five thousand gold crowns on this armor, even at the Dwarves' friendship price.
As for Sulia, it was even more inexplicable to Pfitzman how Ryan's wife obtained a full plate armor that shone like the sun!
The Grandmaster of the Order of the Sun, who was used to dazzling in battle, found his eyes almost blinded by the brightness!
"Yes, countless," the defense commander hastily explained. "Because the Chaos army advances surrounded by thick green and black fog, we can't tell how many there are. We only see an endless stream of troops emerging from the fog, followed by powerful war machines and terrifying cannons smashing through walls, along with hundreds of Chaos Giants and Chaos Ogres."
"Understood," Ryan nodded and told the defense commander, "You should retreat. Staying here won't help us. The town has been evacuated anyway."
"But..." The defense commander hesitated.
"Just say it's my order," Ryan said flatly.
"Yes!" The defense commander no longer hesitated, saluted, and said loudly, "Lord Ryan, you must win! The people of Wiesen and Sol will always be grateful for your support and sacrifice!"
With that, the defense commander led his ragged soldiers out of the Church of Justice, leaving the space to Ryan and his team.
No sooner had the defense commander left than scouts reported that a vanguard of over five hundred Kurgan cavalry and thousands of Beastmen were approaching.
The room fell silent. Ryan looked up, continuing to study the map, and everyone awaited his decision.
"Ryan, I think we should seize this opportunity to destroy this vanguard," Carad suggested, pointing at the map. "Right now, the Chaos army is focused on the White Tower City. You see, they've become disjointed."
"We will definitely destroy them," Ryan nodded repeatedly, still staring at the map. "But how? And how can we aid Nul?"
At this moment, Sulia stepped forward. The female knight's golden curls cascaded over her shoulders as she gazed intently at the map. "Given the Chaos army's speed, they will reach Nul in about a month. Our task is to destroy as many enemy forces as possible, especially those crucial to their power. According to the intelligence, what the Chaos rely on to break through cities and castles can be a few things."
"Chaos Giants, Plague Ogres, War Mammoths in their tribes, and... Chaos Dwarf war machines," Pfitzman interjected.
"The most threatening are the Plague Ogres and the Chaos Dwarf war machines. Plague Ogres are incredibly powerful and blessed by the dark gods to withstand more damage. Many Plague Ogres even know gut magic and can use boulders in sieges," Sulia continued, her beautiful, composed face deep in thought. "As for the Chaos Dwarf war machines, they are said to be more powerful than those of Nul or the Dwarves. The garrisons of Hofen and Greybeard Castle had great confidence in their defenses, believing they could hold for at least three days. But under the Chaos Dwarves' bombardment, they didn't last three hours before being wiped out."
"Yes, before the Chaos army reaches Nul, we must deal with these two threats, or at least one of them," Ryan said, his gaze fixed on the map. "First, let's take care of this Chaos vanguard."
"Let's ambush them on this path," Ryan pointed to a road leading to the town of Waldbach. "Chaos's time of arrogance will soon be over!"
Everyone agreed with Ryan's decision, including the Bretonnian knights, who adhered to chivalry. Against these Chaos scum, no chivalry was necessary!
"Damn, if only Veronica or Teresa were here," Ryan sighed as the team planned the ambush. "Nul's wizards are busy reinforcing the city defenses and magic arrays. If we had wizard support, this ambush would be much more effective."
Ryan had asked Carad to bring Veronica or Teresa when he led the knights to support Nul. But Veronica was currently in seclusion, striving for the Sanctuary, and Teresa was busy studying a new grand spell taught by Aurora. Therefore, neither Garland witch could come to the Empire's aid.
"Prepare yourselves," Ryan raised his head. "Let's give these Chaos scum a memory they'll never forget!"
"Yes!"
Two hours later, on a small road leading to the town of Waldbach.
Beastman Beastlord Huld was leading a large Beastman warband along the road. In front of them, three hundred Nurgle Rot Knights, led by Nurgle Champion Baldes, were clearing the way. The Rot Knights were unrecognizable as humans. Even with armor and chains wrapped around them, pus constantly dripped from the gaps.
Few knew that Huld was not originally a Beastman. He was once a native of Albion, dedicated to cleansing Chaos corruption and guarding the relics of the Old Ones.
However, his fate changed after a major event. The first Daemon Prince, Be'lakor, invaded Albion and corrupted many Truthsayers. Huld witnessed his entire tribe, his wife, daughter, and comrades either corrupted or slaughtered. In his extreme anger, thick fur and horns burst from his skin, transforming him into a Chaos Beastman.
Now, his past duties and missions long forgotten, Huld sought only glory, ascension, and opportunities to conquer and destroy in the name of the dark gods.
The Rot Knights and Beastmen warband advanced together, slaughtering in Nurgle's name. However, due to Wiesen's scorched earth strategy, their sacrifices were insufficient to please the dark god.
This Chaos vanguard was approaching Waldbach, eager for a new feast of blood.
"Smell... wind... scent... wrong," Beastlord Huld suddenly stopped, raising his head and sniffing. "Something's wrong!"
"What's wrong? Nothing's wrong!" Nurgle Champion Baldes, swollen like a giant abscess, retorted. His face was a bloated ball with a twisted horn on his head. "Advance!"
"Huff~" Beastlord Huld shook his head, trying to order the column to halt. But the chaotic command and Baldes's angry roar left the formation in disarray.
At that moment, a sense of indescribable fear surged in Huld's heart. Before he could shout a warning, thunderous gunfire echoed from both sides of the road!
"Boom~ boom boom boom!"
Deafening, sharp sounds shook the forests on either side of the road! Hundreds of musketeers and pistol cavalry appeared from the forest, raising their firearms and pulling the triggers without mercy under the orders of their vanguard sergeants!
Wave after wave of gunfire drowned the Chaos vanguard. Before the Beastmen could react, the suffocating clouds of dust enveloped them, and the torrents of bullets easily pierced and slaughtered the flanks of the Beastman warband.
"Ambush... fight!" Beastlord Huld roared, raising his rusty sword and desperately trying to rally his warband for a counterattack. But an even deeper roar shook his eardrums.
More vanguard knights emerged from the forest, these from Nul, their faces twisted with hatred. They wielded grenade launchers manufactured in Nul's factories, raising them without hesitation.
"Swish~ swish swish swish~" Seventy to eighty grenades arced perfectly into the vanguard's ranks. The ensuing explosions and blasts, along with the billowing dust, thoroughly engulfed the bewildered Chaos scum. In an instant, dozens of Rot Knights and hundreds of Beastmen were consumed in fiery explosions, limbs flying, and blood splattering.
"Hold the line!" Beastlord Huld roared, but his commands were futile amid the chaos.
The Chaos vanguard was stunned by the sudden attack. Nurgle Champion Baldes was thrown from his horse, unable to rise without assistance due to his grotesquely swollen body.
As the Chaos vanguard's morale wavered, the volleys from the pistoliers, vanguard knights, and old guards ceased. After emptying their firearms, they needed to reload.
But that was enough.
"Advance! Knights! For the Lady! For Bretonnia!"
"For Nul! For the goddess Myrmidia! For the Empire!"
A colossal, suffocating cloud of dust emerged from both sides of the forest. A massive tide of knights formed a steel torrent that surged out of the forest in perfect unison, driven by extreme hatred and fervent faith. They became a shrieking silver tide, crashing into the Chaos vanguard!
The ground trembled. At the forefront, Ryan raised his warhammer, shouting the name of the Lady of the Lake. Behind him, Grail Knights led the charge of the Kingdom and Questing Knights, their combined force tearing the Beastman warband into dozens of pieces in an instant!
Huld tried to resist, but Ryan had already spotted the Beastlord. The Thunder Hammer in his hand crackled with lightning, and Ryan became a silver meteor, streaking towards the Beastlord. The ranks of Beastmen and Bestigors in his path were slaughtered by the furious Bretonnian knights. In just a few breaths, Ryan stood before Huld and brought his hammer down!
Huld barely raised his sword to block.
"Crack~" Blood splattered, accompanied by the sound of breaking bones. Huld fell to the ground, landing heavily on Wiesen's solid earth, howling in pain. Ryan's hammer had not only shattered his sword but also broke his arm.
As Huld tried to leap back to avoid Ryan's next strike, a loud, feminine shout approached. Sulia, exuding an aura like the sun, arrived. The valiant female knight raised the Sword of Leonasse, plunging it into the Beastlord's neck. The sword's terrible energy caused Huld to scream in pain and retreat.
Sulia didn't give Huld any chance. She swung the Sword of Leonasse horizontally, slashing Huld's throat. The Beastlord fell with a thud.
The Beastman warband watched in terror as their leader was beheaded like a chicken. They immediately lost their will to fight and scattered in fear.
"For the Lady!" Not far away, accompanied by the battle cries of Carad and the Empire knights, Nurgle Champion Baldes's head also fell to the ground. Carad, expressionless, swung the divine sword Durandal, slicing through two Rot Knights.
Behind him, the combined charge of the Knights of the Sun and Bretonnian knights, their armor reflecting bright sunlight, the steel torrent completely overwhelmed the Chaos vanguard.
The battle was over.
Thirty minutes later, Ryan and his team received new intelligence amidst the battlefield's wreckage.
"Scouts report that the Chaos army is besieging White Tower City. The enemy numbers are countless," the scout reported loudly.
Grandmaster Pfitzman of the Order of the Sun approached Ryan. "Lord Ryan, our knights have received information that a large Chaos Dwarf convoy carrying numerous war machines, especially several Chaos Hellcannons, is approaching White Tower City. If we can ambush and destroy this convoy and these Hellcannons, it could significantly reduce the Chaos Dwarfs' long-range firepower, giving Nul's artillery an advantage."
"No! No!" Blackheart Reep also stepped forward, covered in blood from the battle. He offered his opinion to Ryan, "The Chaos Dwarfs' firepower is indeed formidable, but the Plague Ogres are our primary target. Scouts have detected that the Plague Ogres are following the Chaos army attacking White Tower City, leaving their camp empty. I suggest we send an elite force to infiltrate the Plague Ogre camp, plant large amounts of gunpowder in their food supplies, and detonate it when they gather to eat. This way, if successful, the enemy will lose their Plague Ogre support!"
"White Tower City won't hold out for long. We don't have enough time to accomplish both objectives!" Sulia frowned upon hearing the report. "The Chaos Hellcannons pose a significant threat to the city's defenses, but the Plague Ogres are also a major threat to the Empire's infantry and positions."
"Lord Ryan, the decision is yours!"
"Hmm..." Ryan thought carefully for a moment before making his decision.
"I decide..."
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