The other three were taken aback by Henry's immense battle fervor, wondering, 'Should we keep our distance from him on the battlefield?'
It would be a real shame to survive the Half-Beastmen only to be accidentally wounded by Henry.
Boman asked, "Henry, you like using this type of long-handled Yanyue Saber?"
"Of course. The ones with wooden shafts are disposable, fine for the arena. But using one against the Half-Beastmen? Isn't that just asking to die?
Besides, with an Iron Grassland Noble Riding Spear, I'd be afraid a Minotaur or Centaur might grab it and pull me right off my horse."
The long-handled Yanyue Saber in Henry's hand, blade and shaft combined, was over five meters long. It gleamed with a chilling light that was painful to look at. This was the standard-issue weapon of the King's Grassland Guard, a unit descended from the former Kuset Khan's Personal Guard.
With forward thrusts, jabs, vertical chops, and sweeping slashes, it was unstoppable on the battlefield—a truly formidable weapon for mounted combat.
'Use a Riding Spear against humans, but against Half-Beastmen, it's better to use a weapon that can truly showcase my strength.'
Boman and Fass both used Grassland Noble Riding Spears. Glen, on the other hand, had chosen a long war razor, a choice similar to Henry's.
"Crossbowmen, advance."
At Glen's command, the fifty Crossbowmen in the joint force and forty serfs who could handle a crossbow immediately advanced to form up.
'Against these Half-Beastmen, Crossbowmen are far more cost-effective than archers. At the very least, they're quick to train, so losing them isn't a great pain.'
"Serfs, form up and push forward! Skilled Spearmen and Skilled Scouts on the flanks! Infantry... no, New Recruit Team, use a Shield Array to hold the line from the rear! Heavy Cavalry, divide into two forces! Boman and Fass, lead your Attendants and Cavalry to apply pressure on the left flank."
The three hundred and ten serfs were armed with long wooden spears, pitchforks, logging axes, hoes, and sickles. Glen wouldn't feel the slightest pain no matter how many of them died.
These serfs could form a long, deep formation to disrupt the rhythm of the Half-Beastmen's assault.
If they managed to kill even one Half-Beastman, it would be a huge win. Besides, he had brought most of the serfs, so the others were in no position to object.
Furthermore, Glen was treating Henry quite well; Henry's primary troops were positioned on the flanks and in the rear.
"Henry, you'll take your Attendants and thirty Heavy Cavalry and charge their lines! Take out the Centaurs and Minotaurs. Can you do it?"
"Of course. I was worried you'd try to hog all the money for yourself."
Glen smiled. The bounties offered by the Legion for the heads of different Half-Beastman species varied, and the prices were no different than if he were selling them on the open market.
A Minotaur's head was worth sixteen Dinars, a Tiger-man's or Bearman's head was worth twenty to thirty Dinars, while a Centaur, goat-man, Gnoll, or Kobold head was only worth four Dinars.
This value had nothing to do with the Half-Beastman's combat strength, but rather with how intimidating or impressive its head looked.
"Advance!"
"Advance!"
The army marched step by step toward the valley, and soon they saw the Half-Beastmen assembling.
Although Henry and the others had been verbally contemptuous of the Half-Beastmen, that didn't mean the creatures were actually useless.
By the time the Scouts spotted the Half-Beastmen, the Half-Beastmen had already detected the approaching humans.
Suddenly, a roar erupted from the Half-Beastmen's position, and a swarming horde of over a hundred Kobolds charged forward.
These Kobolds carried short swords and wooden shields, wore flimsy leather garments, and charged with bared teeth, screaming chaotically.
"Crossbowmen, ready!"
The Kobolds drew nearer and nearer, picking up speed. The soldiers could even smell a foul stench. 'Can we smell them from this far? No, that can't be right. It must be my imagination.'
As the Kobolds pressed their advance, the distance between the two sides closed rapidly.
"Ready!"
Two hundred paces... one hundred... eighty...
Glen had intended to let them get closer, but seeing the trembling serfs, he had no choice but to reluctantly give the order. "Crossbowmen, fire!"
A volley of thrumming sounds filled the air as ninety Crossbowmen pulled their triggers simultaneously. Crossbow Arrows pierced straight through the Kobolds' chests!
At least fifty Kobolds were thrown to the ground, reducing the number of charging creatures by nearly half in an instant! Only the shots from the terrified, trembling serfs went wide.
The most accurate shots came from Henry's Veteran Shielded Crossbowmen!
'Don't underestimate the crossbow, you Half-Beastmen!' Unfortunately, these incredibly stupid Kobolds didn't even break rank.
"Crossbowmen, fall back! Serfs, advance!"
Wielding an assortment of farm implements and prodded on by the soldiers at their sides, the serfs could only scream chaotically as they charged the Kobolds. The two forces clashed, erupting into a brutal melee.
One moment, a serf would gut a Kobold; the next, a serf would be run through by a Kobold's sword. The stench of blood filled the air. The battle was exceptionally cruel.
The Kobolds were numerous, but the serfs had the advantage in numbers!
However, the scales of battle didn't tip far in the humans' favor, because the Gnolls, leading the remaining Kobolds, were about to charge into the fray!
The Gnolls wielded battle-axes and had iron plates protecting their shoulders, arms, chests, and thighs as they launched a frenzied charge.
A dozen javelins flew through the air, instantly impaling more than ten serfs!
"Crossbowmen! Fire!"
THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!
Having just reloaded, the Crossbowmen fired again, this time at nearly point-blank range, taking down another wave of Gnolls and Kobolds.
Unfortunately, most of these Crossbowmen were serfs with little training. Otherwise, they could have managed three full volleys.
This time, the two sides crashed into each other like a pair of colliding waves, and the serfs suffered massive casualties in an instant.
Serfs at the rear who tried to flee were cut down the moment they turned by Henry's New Recruit Team. Some serfs attempted to attack the New Recruit Team, but they couldn't even scratch the troops who had formed a solid Shield Array.
'What a joke. These are elite soldiers clad in Cotton Armor, armed with shields and swords!'
'Do you serfs really think you can fight them? You just don't have the strength, you know that?'
Henry saw the Minotaurs and Centaurs preparing to charge and looked toward Glen.
"Boman! Fass! Charge the Gnolls and Kobolds!"
"Henry, charge!"
Henry brandished his long-handled Yanyue Saber and roared, "For the glory of the Empire! For the Dinars! Charge!"
"Kill!"
"Kill these ugly bastards!"
The cavalrymen roared, following close behind as they charged straight toward the herd of Centaurs.
[Cunning Tactics Skill Triggered: ① Fearless Engagement, ③ Disciplined Formation]
The Heavy Cavalry spread out, maintaining distance between each other. They formed three ranks, ten men to a line. 'This charge has to wipe out every last Centaur!'
The sound of hooves grew from the patter of light rain to a torrential downpour, thundering in the ears of every Heavy Cavalryman. Their hearts pounded faster and faster!
'We're not afraid anymore. Not one bit. Bring it on! Let's see who the real Warriors are!'
The Centaurs loosed a few arrows, one of which pierced a Heavy Cavalryman's armor, sending him tumbling from his horse.
Henry glanced over. 'It's one of my men!'
"Die for me!"
[Endurance Riding Skill Triggered: ① Rapid Charge, ② Warhorse Agility, ③ Natural Cavalry (Long Pole Skill +1)]
The Centaur facing Henry held a spear and shield, attempting a couched spear charge to impale him.
But with a light squeeze of his legs, Henry's horse sidestepped the sharp spear tip. He swung his long-handled Yanyue Saber, cleaving the Centaur's upper torso—and its Iron Shield—clean in two!
[Vitality One-Handed Skill Triggered: ③ Steel Wrist (Control Power +1), ④ Innate Arm Strength (Endurance +1)]
[Vitality Two-Handed Skill Triggered: ① Mighty and Strong (Your upper body muscles are strengthened, Vitality +1), ③ Tearer (Enemy shields are fragile against your attacks)]