Gartros' decision to delegate authority to the commanders without stubbornly insisting on centralized control was commendable. Few could objectively assess their own abilities without overconfidence.
It was undoubtedly the best choice, but dispersing command also introduced cracks within the Delphine army. This was inevitable given the sheer size of the force.
"Hm, are we moving properly?"
As they retreated toward the fortress, Gartros turned back several times, tilting his head. Something about the formation felt off.
One of his adjutants spoke up.
"It's because we're moving such a large army. The different speeds of each unit might feel a bit disjointed."
"I see. Will that be a problem?"
The adjutant hesitated briefly. In truth, an uncoordinated formation was a significant issue.
Not only did it prevent the army from operating at full combat strength, but it also rendered units incapable of moving cohesively, making effective tactical maneuvers impossible.
But this wasn't a battle situation, was it?
"There's no immediate threat to us, so it shouldn't be a major concern."
"Right, it shouldn't be an issue."
Gartros dismissed it lightly. For now, with no sign of enemy reinforcements, there was no reason to expect a battle.
All they needed to do was reach the fortress and secure it.
This lapse in vigilance didn't escape Amelia's notice.
From atop the fortress walls, she scrutinized the Delphine army's formation and spoke.
"It's a mess."
The marching formation was breaking down the farther back she looked. With no one overseeing the entire army, such disarray was inevitable.
The Delphine commanders were preoccupied with managing their own units. The differing troop types meant some units lagged behind as the march continued.
The precision that had defined the massive army under Kaien's command was nowhere to be seen.
Amelia turned to Gillian, who stood nearby, and gave an order.
"Lighten the load as much as possible. The mounted archers will harass and hinder the enemy while the rest of the forces maintain their formation and follow."
Marching wasn't just about walking. It was about moving with maximum combat readiness under a commander's guidance.
This was why a leader's skill was often judged by how well they managed vigilance and movement during a march.
Now that the Delphine army's formation was falling apart, it was the perfect moment to strike.
Rumble-rumble-rumble!
The fortress gates opened, and Lumina led the mounted archers out. Behind them, a surge of soldiers poured forth.
Although collectively referred to as the Northern Army, it was now a mix of allied forces, Western troops, and local lords' militias. Their numbers now exceeded those of the Delphine army.
"Move out."
At Amelia's command, the massive army began pursuing the Delphine forces.
To maintain speed, they left behind supply units and siege equipment. They carried only emergency combat rations and water, supplied by Fenris.
Rumble-rumble-rumble!
The highly mobile mounted archers quickly closed the distance to the rear of the Delphine army.
Gartros was startled when he saw the sudden appearance of the mounted archers.
"What is this? Are they trying to fight now?"
The adjutant was just as shocked. If they wanted to survive, they wouldn't act like this. The mounted archers numbered only about 10,000.
Gartros felt insulted. To him, it seemed like a feeble attempt to disrupt their retreat.
"Attack them! Kill those fools!"
The retreating Delphine army turned to face the mounted archers.
But the attack didn't commence immediately. The units' formations were inconsistent, and the slow-moving infantry were lagging far behind.
While the infantry scrambled to regroup, 10,000 mounted archers unleashed a rain of arrows upon them.
Swish!
"Argh!"
"Raise your shields! Block them for now!"
"Hold the line! Reinforcements are coming!"
The heavily armored soldiers in the rear suffered minimal damage, but the lightly armored infantry ahead of them took significant losses.
Grinding his teeth, Gartros roared.
"Archers! Mages! Counterattack! What are the priests doing?!"
The superhuman soldiers scattered across the Delphine units scrambled to act.
Meanwhile, Lumina pulled her bowstring once more, recalling Amelia's instructions.
— "Only twice."
'Twice…'
Swish!
Another volley of arrows rained down. Without hesitation, Lumina turned her horse around.
"Retreat!"
The mounted archers quickly changed direction and distanced themselves.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Lightning and fire descended from the sky, and black pillars erupted from the ground. Delphine archers fired a volley that darkened the sky.
But the mounted archers had already retreated far enough to avoid all damage.
They had struck during the brief window before the Delphine forces could counterattack.
As she retreated, Lumina clicked her tongue in amazement.
'Impressive.'
Amelia had perfectly calculated how long it would take for the enemy to respond, based on information gathered from previous battles.
The Delphine army couldn't pursue the mounted archers. The sudden rear attack had thrown their formation into chaos.
Fortunately for them, the supply units at the front remained unharmed.
Grinding his teeth, Gartros summoned his adjutants.
"They're trying to delay us with petty tricks. Strengthen the rear guard and prepare for more ambushes."
"Yes, sir."
The Delphine army reorganized their formation and tended to the wounded. They placed heavier infantry at the rear and stationed superhuman soldiers, mages, and archers further back.
Taking a brief respite to recover from the disarray bought the Northern Army even more time to close in.
"What's that?"
"Enemy sighted!"
"The Northern Army is here!"
The Delphine forces soon spotted the large army approaching from the rear and cried out in alarm. Given how recently the mounted archers had withdrawn, it wasn't surprising to encounter them again.
Gartros shouted, almost relieved.
"They've come straight to their deaths! Do they think they can defeat us just because Count Balzac isn't here?"
While Count Balzac's reputation was immense, his absence hadn't drastically weakened their strength.
The Delphine army had always had more superhuman soldiers. They had resorted to siege warfare simply because the enemy refused to leave their fortifications.
"Attack!"
At Gartros' command, the Delphine forces advanced. Leading the charge were priests of the Salvation Church.
Gartros had no intention of simply watching. With the numbers slightly in their favor, he planned to personally bolster the army's strength.
Meanwhile, Amelia raised her hand. At her command, the Northern Army moved forward to meet the enemy.
At the far rear of the Northern Army, a hastily constructed platform was erected. Amelia climbed to the top to observe the battlefield.
"Conrad, neutralize their magic forces first."
"Understood."
Conrad, one of her adjutants, relayed the order.
Magic interference fields spread across both armies, sealing each other's magic capabilities.
"Waaaaahhh!"
While the mages were neutralized, the vanguard of both armies clashed.
Boom!
The Northern Army's front line consisted of Rayfold's heavily armored infantry. Trained and disciplined, they held their formation firmly.
Amelia's orders came swiftly.
"Relay to the Grand Chieftain to take command of the right flank."
"The saintess will lead the left flank."
"Gillian and Tenant will follow the saintess with the Western forces."
"Kaor and the Assault Corps will follow the Grand Chieftain. The mounted archers will provide support from the rear."
"All allied forces, join the Rayfold army at the front and keep advancing. Just don't let them push us back."
The soldiers, without fully grasping the battlefield situation, followed Amelia's orders without hesitation.
Watching the soldiers move, Amelia smirked.
"Their response is swift."
The Fenris troops responded to orders immediately, a testament to how well Ghislain had trained them.
This was why Amelia had entrusted them with the flanking maneuvers.
The allied forces had the advantage of numbers. Though they were slower, combining them with the Rayfold army made them well-suited to counter the enemy with sheer manpower.
The newly arrived lords weren't thrilled about taking orders from Amelia, but given the stakes, they grudgingly complied.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Charge! Kill them!"
"Don't retreat! Hold the line!"
"Push through them!"
It was the first time such large-scale forces clashed since the civil war began. The Delphine army numbered over 150,000, while the Northern Army exceeded 200,000.
The battlefield became a violent and chaotic storm.
At a glance, the two sides seemed evenly matched. While the unified Northern Army had greater numbers, the allied and Western troops were inferior in quality compared to the Delphine army.
But there was something Gartros had overlooked.
"What's this? Why are we being surrounded?"
The Delphine army's flanks were steadily being pushed back. Even someone like Gartros, who lacked deep military knowledge, quickly realized the situation.
"The cavalry is concentrated on both flanks!"
Nearly half of the Delphine cavalry had followed Count Balzac. Meanwhile, the Northern cavalry remained intact.
The Northern army, primarily composed of cavalry units, was using its numerical superiority to effectively pressure the Delphine forces.
On one side, mounted archers relentlessly rained arrows. The Delphine archers should have countered them, but they were too preoccupied defending against attacks on three fronts to focus on the mounted archers.
Boom!
"Argh!"
The Delphine army's formation, already disorganized from the start of the battle, couldn't maintain cohesion. Without coordinated movements, the flanks were soon encircled.
Breaking through the front wasn't an option either, as the Rayfold army and allied forces held firm.
Reinforcing the line were skilled warriors like Bernaph and Vulcan from Rayfold, making it nearly impossible to penetrate.
"The priests! Help them immediately!"
Gartros shouted, but the priests couldn't move easily.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
On the left and right flanks, Erenes and Parniel were wreaking havoc.
The priests of the Salvation Church began focusing on killing enemy superhumans rather than ordinary soldiers.
"Kill her now!"
Three priests lunged at Parniel.
Crack!
The first priest, struck by Parniel's massive mace, was flung backward.
"You wretch!"
Another priest took the opportunity to attack her side, but Parniel easily blocked it with her thick arm and headbutted him.
Boom!
The sound of the impact was almost explosive. The priest's forehead caved in, and he staggered, momentarily losing consciousness.
Shunk! Shunk! Shunk!
Knights supporting Parniel plunged their swords into the fallen priest's body. Another priest tried to intervene, but Parniel intercepted him with her body.
Boom!
The priest's full-force attack landed squarely on Parniel's abdomen.
"You… insane…"
The priest's expression was one of disbelief.
Despite the powerful blow, Parniel merely bent slightly. A thin line of blood trickled from her mouth, suggesting internal injury, but she showed no signs of slowing down.
Her enormous mace tore through the air and came crashing down on the priest.
Boom!
"Argh!"
The priest foolishly tried to block it, only to have both arms shattered.
This was why the Saintess was so feared. Possessing energy that directly opposed the Salvation Church, she wielded tremendous power against their priests.
It was this strength that had earned her a spot as the fourth strongest of the Continent's Seven Strongest during times of upheaval.
Even with three priests, they were no match for Parniel. While the superhumans were occupied, Gillian and Tenant led the cavalry to strike the left flank of the Delphine army.
Boom!
"Argh!"
The Delphine army's flank was immediately breached. With no coordination between their units, they couldn't properly defend against the attack.
Gartros was at a loss.
The commanders of each Delphine unit were doing their best under the circumstances. The fact that they hadn't been completely routed yet was proof of their efforts.
But their focus was limited to their own units. There was no one overseeing the battlefield as a whole.
"This… this is…"
Gartros felt dizzy. He had no idea where to go or what to reinforce.
Originally, he had intended to move toward the area where the Saintess was believed to be. Despite sending two additional priests, they had been intercepted by superhumans like Gillian and Tenant.
But even as he watched his forces collapse, he couldn't move to that side.
Boom!
The other side was in chaos for an entirely different reason.
[T/L: I am in dire need of support. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]