Men and horses are forming a line just like a stream-let in the depressions interrupting the mounds and hills. The space from wagon to wagon is vast. Compared to that, the escorting soldiers have been concentrated in columns at the front and the back of the trail. You could tell with a single glance that it is a march with many gaps to exploit.
The number of wagons is huge. According to the previously obtained intelligence, each of the wagons should transport a considerable amount of provisions and war funds. With the final destination being Earldom Sarmanto, they have also finished confirming that a large boat is already waiting at the base for crossing the Eastern Dragon River. If they get there, there’s no way for Kustaa to follow them. There are many troops stationed at the base. His group isn’t able to fight on the water and at the river bank.
He can’t stop anxiety welling up and fear spreading beneath his stiffened expression. However, he has to proceed. Kustaa is being pushed by the fact that time came to make up his mind.
“Turn around because we will leave the centre alone. We will attack the guard units split at the front and rear.” (Kustaa)
Kicking the belly of his horse, Kustaa straight away travelled down the hill. Both his arms were freed up once he hooked the reins at the front bridge of the saddle. Drawing the spear through his hands first and then turning over the spearhead with a rotation, he thrusts it forward as leader of the 600 riders. He drills the sharp blade of the pointed end into the ground. The following riders divide into two groups enlarge that hole to break the morale and order of the enemy.
He forced his way to the enemies mowing down a single person close-by. And at just that moment, Kustaa had a goose-flesh on his whole body.
(This is… !) (Kustaa)
There’s fear in the faces of the enemies he passes by. There’s nervousness… it finished at only that. There’s no chaos, unrest and shock. The soldier’s purpose of fighting each other and the instinct as living creature is flashing in their cramped faces. Therefore, their movements are flexible. Without trying to stop the blow of Kustaa’s spearhead unreasonably, they are dodging and leaving it to others by going past.
It should have been a perfect surprise attack. Furthermore we attacked at the flank of their ranks, which is undoubtedly a vital point as it’s a place with only few guards. They are parrying that. Kustaa’s spear merely hit 1 or 2 people. That’s impossible.
The central breakthrough was excellent. It was beautiful to an excessive degree. Once they ran up their horses onto the opposite hill and turned around, the ranks of the transport unit troops’ have been split into two groups as planned. The intestines of living creatures had been scattered by the tragedy of being smashed and stepped upon by 2400 hooves.
However, far too few soldiers were defeated. Only by sight, there are dozens of soldiers remaining. The kicked-over and scattered cargo is weird as well. There are no provisions and wheat flour bags, much less to say about wooden boxes filled with money. It’s wood. Stuff like wooden boards and stakes. All kinds of strange things have been scattered about, assuming those are construction materials.
Each of the guard units in front and at the rear is mainly consisting of infantry and has around 200 soldiers. Those are numbers easy to crush if we strike against them as planned. However a spectacle happened causing them to hesitate doing just that. Kustaa doubted his own eyes.
It’s pikes. Equal to spears, those even reach three times the height of a human? And they are in the process of setting those up. It should just have been infantry at the time I took a look at them in the beginning. Long spears were something typically used in duels. That has changed in a blink of an eye.
It’s the cargo. The wagons close to the guard units were loaded with pikes. And they have deployed those right away. They are linking up to an organized formation facing towards Kustaa. Those troops have a stabbing air. It is completely different from what I felt in the territorial army so far.
“Let’s return taking a little detour. Everyone, you haven’t been negligent with your dust-proof equipment, right?” (Kustaa)
The answer is yes. Among these 600 riders there are also many, who were formerly affiliated with the Salomon army as volunteer soldiers. Since they are sensing the points of Kustaa’s plan, he was able to convey a lot of information with a low amount of words. They cannot afford for the village to be destroyed.
“… Alright, let’s go!” (Kustaa)
Leaving the pike unit behind, they charged in the direction of piercing into the gap between the 1000 man from the river-crossing base and the 1000 man from the territorial capital. Skilfully using the undulation of the hills, 10 groups a 10 riders each, a total amount of 100 riders, in order to not be discovered from the front and rear, have secretly separated from the main group. It’s for the sake of the extra job of contacting the other 200 riders. It’s something that put strenuous exertion on those numbers, but it’s not like the only aim was to just raise the certainty of the message being delivered. It’s for the sake of someone reaching the village even in the worst case. The situation is impending.
Kustaa’s 500 riders are a decoy. They act in order to let the detached forces get away.
They don’t consider something like winning if they directly clash with 2000 cavalrymen. Kustaa isn’t an amateur who dreams of defeating an enemy four times their size. Moreover, there’s no difference in the quality of horses in regards to their fellow northern cavalrymen. Even only escaping is probably not so easy. To say nothing it’s all the more the case while they have to falsify the path of retreat towards the village.
It will result in us retreating towards the east while making sacrifices… Kustaa thought that way. We will quickly enter a place where they will have to give up pursuing even if we can’t shake them off. Namely, the demonic domain “Lifeless Desert.” The only difference is getting killed by nature or getting killed by people, however they naturally won’t track the path towards the village. Also, the 200 riders of the detached force and the 100 riders set off to contact them will likely head there when push comes to shove… Kustaa didn’t harbour any suspicions.
The movements of the dust clouds were even slower than anticipated. If you judge it from the view that they probably came to chase us, they likely won’t foresee the direction we are heading towards. Kustaa smiled. He was occupied with drawing out their course for some time, but it was a large issue that he wasn’t able to do that immediately. Probably he won’t be able to make the necessary preparations for the detached force in secret anymore.
“Did we only win with tactics… ? At least I won’t go to that extent.” (Kustaa)
Heaving a sigh, Kustaa laughed at himself as his cheeks were grazed by the night air. The last battle I fought under the command of Salomon… I recall that battle of killing or being killed by the army of Eberia Empire. It hasn’t been hard for me. That situation was caused by the stupidity of the hero, but it triggered the accumulation of experience of my current self.
Salomon said it. This is the cleaning up for that idiot.
It’s not the case that Kustaa, who certainly didn’t exceed leading a part of the cavalry unit, saw the complete picture at those days. However, he also understood the situation. Salomon didn’t intend to lead such type of battle. With that being something similar to a clever scheme of being a forced confusion, there was probably an element of a gamble. If there had been time, there would would have been methods for the sake of continuing to win in a more reliable way as well… Kustaa believes that Salmon kept thinking about those strategies day and night.
What would such Salmon think, if he saw the current me… ? Most likely he would laugh scornfully as usual. No matter how many lives I got, it won’t be enough. I have to hold onto the importance of being a desperate coward. And I have to create situations, where I have to fight with all my power.
“Haha.” (Kustaa)
They joy of experiencing such delight left his lips. Giving hand signs, he relays his intention to the riders in front. He sensed a swelling presence of fighting spirit in his back. It’s a promising enthusiasm.
“… Alright, go!” (Kustaa)
The instant they entered a terrain filled with downwards slopes, the 500 riders split right and left half each. Kustaa leads the right side in order to get close to the enemy. The enemy forces began to evade, but likely grasping the number of people on our side, they will push towards the left side in response. However they won’t hit us. Kustaa has separated the left side to the left in order to respond to their opponents.
It was just right, it was a route describing an arc along a gentle hill. The enemy forces are in pursuit of Kustaa. They likely have perceived Kustaa increasing the speed slightly, but the merit of that conjecture will backfire.
The 250 riders, who split to the left, are just now arriving at this hill. Kustaa decelerates and disappears into a cloud of sand at the time they got close to the right side, matching his distance with them. Moreover, the flank of the enemy forces is in a slanted shape. Confirming that over his shoulders, Kustaa’s smile deepened.
“Wh… it’s a lie…” (Kustaa)
There were people coming charging with dreadful force at the back of Kustaa’s 250 riders. Their number is around 100? A giant at the vanguard is sending my companions flying like a storm. They are getting close.
However, that’s not the problem. Kustaa won’t be afraid of something like that.
His whole body quivered with a numbness he knew very well. It told Kustaa of the return of an intense “premonition.” He looks at me. Rather, he doesn’t see me. Even forgetting about his command, he gazes at the approaching group. Lurking within the group of men and horses, he was there.
His blue eyes are pinning down on him.
Completely as if it’s someone else’s problem, Kustaa recognised that.
Being delayed, currently one arrow was lodged into the top of his left shoulder. Next, in the top of his right shoulder as well.
“What… did you see me after all, too?” (Kustaa)
Falling to the ground from this height, he had troubles breathing from the impact. His shoulders were soaked accompanied by the heat of the bleeding. Having pathetically twisted his feet, even that pain reverberated in his brain. No defence or anything was left.
There was a sound of the divination board in his knapsack cracking.
It was a dry sound, but it was a sound comfortable to his ears.
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