Vargas quickly did as he was told. But the messenger took a long time to return, reporting, "General, our battlefield is west of the city. The navy says they can't provide fire support, and it's too late for the sailors to come ashore! Moreover, the eastern coastline of Kaffa is heavily guarded, and the Admiral said that a rash attack would only result in heavier losses."
"Damn it!" Carlo Merlo angrily pulled out a few strands of his beard.
What they didn't know was that Manuel had been plotting this battle for a long time.
More than two months ago, he began relocating civilians from surrounding towns to Kaffa; to avoid depleting his forces in other towns, he only allowed his army to suffer minor losses against the Genoa army, effectively abandoning those towns proactively; at the same time, he actively exploited the enemy's inability to completely sever Kaffa's communication with other regions, a slight advantage, to contact Mangup and Northern Crimea, using carrier pigeons as the primary means of communication, to coordinate their actions; during his time in the city, he trained soldiers and civilians, managing to raise an army of over 5,000; he also found a way to move the bodies of plague victims to the Genoa army's water source; and he chose to fight the decisive battle in early autumn in Crimea, after a rain, a time when the Apennine mercenaries would be uncomfortable…
All of this was for today's victory.
Upon learning that the Genoa army had called for 2,000 reserve troops, Manuel looked at Tukharovsky behind him and asked, "General, is it time for our remaining 2,000 men to enter the battlefield?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Very well, send all remaining legions into battle. They must be eager to personally kill those Genoa soldiers who have committed all sorts of evil deeds on their land."
On the battlefield at this moment, with the 2,000 Genoa troops entering the fray, the scales were once again tipping towards Genoa. Carlo Merlo was even a little excited, waiting to see the Theodoro Army pushed back.
Just as he was waiting to see the Genoa army counterattack, he was surprised to see a large group of soldiers emerge from Kaffa's city gate, causing cold sweat to break out on his brow again.
"Wait, where are our artillery? I rarely hear the sound of gunpowder and saltpeter coming from our side?" Carlo Merlo asked, puzzled.
"Brother, because the ground is muddy and full of standing water, most of our cannons… our cannons, after firing a few shots, couldn't be lit anymore," Alberto nervously informed his brother of this bad news after inquiring about the front-line situation.
Carlo felt his blood surge, "These despicable Goths, and that so-called Crown Prince of the Principality, was this also part of your plan?"
As Carlo mused, the Theodoro militiamen who had joined the battle had already begun to suppress the Genoa army again. Facing these murderers who might have harmed their families, they showed no mercy, aiming their spears and lances at the enemy's vital points and thrusting fiercely. "Anna, Georgia, Andrea, I have avenged you." A farmer from Privetnoye, whose family had recently been ruined, plunged his spear into several Genoa soldiers, tears streaming down his face. But soon, he was pierced through the heart by other Genoa soldiers who had reacted, and he too fell on the battlefield.
Even though the Theodoro Army seemed to have gained the upper hand, the Genoa army maintained a relatively intact formation, which made Manuel, who was commanding from the city gate, nervous. If the Genoa army's formation didn't collapse, then they couldn't be absolutely sure of victory. But as things stood, his "poisoning" tactic should have achieved great success. Considering this, he ordered his personal guards, "Prepare horses and lances; I am entering the field."
His announcement shocked the officers, who all advised against it, but Manuel's mind was made up: "The Genoa army has not completely collapsed; we have not won. As General, Lord, and Crown Prince of the Principality, I should go out at a time like this to boost the morale of the entire army."
Seeing that His Highness was determined, the Generals had no choice but to comply, but Badars, Aidian, Vladimir, and Tukharovsky specifically requested to accompany him on the expedition to ensure his safety. Manuel readily agreed.
Soon, Carlo Merlo noticed a squadron of light cavalry appear on the enemy side. The leader seemed to be a young man, but wherever he went, the Theodoro Army cheered, their morale soaring, further suppressing the Genoa army.
He asked, a little pale, "Who is that? Is it that Theodoro Crown Prince named Manuel?"
Vargas beside him replied, "General, it seems so."
"What are you doing? Stop him!" Carlo roared.
Soon, Manuel noticed a large 隊 of Genoa cavalry attacking in his direction. His lieutenants and Filaka warriors, seeing this, rushed forward to block them and protect his safety. But the enemy seemed to have targeted them, and soon, another fully armored Ligurian knight arrived, intending to kill them. At this point, all the soldiers and lieutenants were busy intercepting the previous cavalry squadron, and even if they wanted to spare energy to block that knight for him, they couldn't.
Manuel had no choice but to deal with this person alone. Although he quickly felt somewhat fatigued due to his slightly weaker martial arts and inferior equipment. At this moment, the opponent's long spear came, and Manuel barely managed to parry it. Although he parried it, it was only temporary. Manuel could feel that if the enemy maintained this momentum, he would surely fail to block it and be run through by the spear.
No, am I going to end my second life like this? According to the plan, it shouldn't be like this? Realizing he was in mortal danger, his brain immediately started working at lightning speed.
Just as he was about to formulate his last words in his mind, he suddenly felt the strength of the two opponents weaken. Clearly, their previous dominance was merely the last gasp of a dying force. Thinking of this, Manuel felt incredibly invigorated, and his arms seemed to possess infinite strength. Without much thought, he directly pushed aside the enemy's long spear, then thrust his own lance at the opponent, piercing through his body.
He had thought he might be forced to trigger the reincarnation program for the first time today, but thankfully, it hadn't come to that. And from the current situation, he had guessed correctly. Due to the plague's influence, even the most elite Genoa knights had their strength greatly reduced, becoming mere playthings to highlight his own prowess.
Watching the opponent's incredulous expression, Manuel merely smiled coldly, like a divine messenger delivering heavenly punishment, pulling out his lance and walking away with indifference.