Warhammer Divine Throne

Early the next morning, the army broke camp. Marquis Angxi led an army of more than thirty thousand troops into the Arden Forest from the front, while Winford’s army and Bastogne’s army joined forces, preparing to enter the Arden Forest along the ring path.

This unit was not large, consisting of around six thousand people, of which about a little over three thousand were combat-ready soldiers, while the rest were accompanying personnel and logistics staff.

Early in the morning, a Kingdom Knight who appeared to be in his thirties approached Laine, wearing a silver gilded cross helmet with a golden Fire Dragon statue on top and a full set of Secret Silver Plate Armor forged by the master craftsmen of Bastogne: ”Hello, Holy Grail Knight Lord Laine, I am Gabriel de Bastogne.”

”Hello, Lord Gabriel, I am Laine Macado.” Laine shook hands with him.

”I’m very pleased to fight alongside you. If you don’t mind, please let the soldiers of our Bastogne Beast Slayer Corps lead the way,” Gabriel said seriously. ”The soldiers have been battling the Beastmen on the edge of the Arden Forest for years, and they are quite familiar with the intricate forest paths.”

”Oh, of course, I would certainly welcome soldiers familiar with the paths to guide us!” Laine said earnestly. ”We are a distant army unfamiliar with the forest. Your Bastogne forces have been fighting these beasts for years, so we must rely heavily on your experience.”

”Truly deserving of being the Lady’s Divine Chosen Champion!” Marquis Gabriel praised, ”Please!”

”Please!”

About an hour later, the entire army had assembled and began advancing along the path into the forest.

At the front were over a hundred Kingdom Knights, followed by more than three hundred Ranger Knights, then six hundred Peasant Archers, and more than two thousand Peasant Infantry led by sergeants. The remaining troops, accompanied by a large number of accompanying personnel and logistics units, guarded the flanks of the army while two hundred Rangers.

Laine, Julius, and Gabriel, the three Kingdom Knights, followed the Kingdom Knight troop at the front.

This third son of the Duke Bastogne had a resolute face, with many scars, and his eyes shone with brilliance, clearly marking him as a veteran of battlefields. The strong aura he exuded subtly indicated that he was a Legendary Powerhouse of considerable stability.

The Bastogne Family has never had an incompetent member over generations. As direct descendants of the First Knight King Arthur, they have always adhered to a very strict family system and ethos. Coupled with good upbringing and excellent guidance from an early age, it is not surprising that this Marquis is so powerful.

”This time, the Winford Escapee Group and the Bastogne Beast Slayer Corps will fight side by side,” Laine initiated the conversation.

”It’s our Bastogne Knights’ honor to fight alongside the renowned Winford Knights, and it’s my honor to fight alongside the Lady’s Divine Chosen Champion, Lord Laine!” Gabriel replied seriously. ”Although the Bastogne troops are assigned here, we don’t intend to be mere spectators.”

”Spectators? What do you mean by that?” As the army gradually entered the forest, the once orderly battle formation could no longer proceed with so many troops abreast, and the entire army began to stretch out. Laine, while closely observing the movements in the forest, asked curiously.

”Ah, Lord Laine, you may not know this, but when I learned that Angxi Desmond arranged for us to take the right route, I knew he didn’t want us to overshadow him.” Gabriel’s tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

”I’d love to hear more.” Laine and Julius exchanged a glance, as they were unfamiliar with the situation in the Arden Forest.

”The right route is the most difficult of the three routes to traverse. There are quite a number of Beastman Warbands on this path, and the road is rugged and difficult, making it challenging for us to gain sufficient achievement and inconvenient for a rapid march,” Gabriel continued. ”Lord Laine, given our smaller army size, my view on this march is to advance steadily without overly pursuing results, simply sweeping away the Beastman Warbands along the predetermined route and meeting at the scheduled location.”

”This is also my thought. The forest is not our home field. How can Knights charge on such uneven terrain and through dense undergrowth?” Laine nodded.

”We’re here to exterminate the Beastmen, not to play hide and seek with them,” Julius added.

Thus, the strategic approach of the Right Army was established.

The knights of Bastogne have very rich experience fighting the Beastmen, and seeing Laine affirm the plan, Gabriel felt gratified. He was truly worried that the young Holy Grail Knight before him might be like those competitive and hot-blooded Ranger Knights who would rush after the Beastmen the moment they appeared.

In the forest, fighting like that would surely end in failure.

The first day’s march encountered few surprises, with barely any signs of Beastmen throughout, allowing everyone to advance successfully. Then they camped near a small stream, and the soldiers quickly boiled water and cooked as dusk fell.

”Hex, arrange someone to patrol that hill! Olivier, make sure to send people to guard upstream of the creek, and watch for any poisoning by the Beastmen,” Laine instructed the army to patrol, while Bastogne’s Gabriel also commanded his troops: ”Boduan! Alphonse! You know what to do!”

”As you command, my Marquis!” The Bastogne Knights were well-trained, and the peasants set up camp with ease. These soldiers needed no reminders; they appeared very adept, living up to the name of the Bastogne Beast Slayer Corps.