Bear School Astartes

Lann calmly watched the portal rapidly shrink into a tiny dot in midair.

At this moment, the ground was already scattered with many corpses, all of which were commanders and advisors he had eliminated in a very short time.

These people were adorned with various protective talismans and enchanted equipment which, while making them easier for Lann to find, also made them harder to kill.

And there were many others who looked blankly at the now vanished portal, as if unwilling to face the reality of being abandoned.

Lann ignored them for now and instead walked towards the wind wall of the fiery tornado.

With a flick of his wrist, a cleaving motion cut across, and the fiery tornado abruptly created a fluctuating opening.

Lann walked out, while those behind trying to follow him were caught at just the right moment by the closing fiery tornado.

The sound of flesh being scorched and screams echoed.

Outside the fiery tornado was also a battlefield where Lincoln’s squad was massacring the outer soldiers of the camp.

Their fight was not easy, since the troops guarding the command post were resolute elites.

Even though Lann’s charge had pushed them back, their structure didn’t completely collapse, and they retained small formations of cooperation.

But even so, the ’Embers’ were still methodically reducing their numbers layer by layer.

This guerrilla group from the refugees had quickly grown to the point where they could clash with the elite of the Niflgaard and have the upper hand.

”Sir.” Lincoln pulled on the reins, steering the equally panting warhorse over, ”Phew, how’s the situation?”

”The portal.” Lann pointed to the fiery tornado behind him which had begun to weaken, ”That female Warlock had quite some skills.”

”Really?”

Lincoln responded unsurprised.

”Quite unfortunate... all the skills she’s arduously learned will vanish today.”

The two seemed to show no regret about letting their target escape.

-----------------

A portal appeared in the forested mountains.

The remaining commanders and advisors, along with Meno Kuhorn and Furinjira Veges, staggered out of the portal one after another.

They all knelt to the ground, gasping for breath, retching, clutching their heads and groaning in pain.

Unconcerned about the filth, debris, and mud on the forest floor.

They no longer resembled the high-ranking commanders of the invincible Niflgaard Army, but looked more like a group of desperate routed soldiers.

”What kind of hellish place is this?”

The Marshal first regained composure with his strong will and cursed lowly.

”This isn’t the portal point we booked! Furinjira Veges, what happened?”

”I’m not in good shape,” the female Warlock was now unceremonious.

Anyone who saves another’s life would have the confidence to speak.

”I’ve been working for too long, and the dread of the Death Mage still lingers in my mind; that Demon Hunter almost drove me mad just now! Do you still expect my precision?!”

”Alright, we shouldn’t be far from our destination here, let’s proceed on foot!”

Meno Kuhorn forced himself through the dizziness from the portal, quickly ascertained their location, and prepared to head to their booked portal point.

It was a camp serving as reserve forces.

The survivors present dared not delay, despite their discomfort all over, as the thought of the figure that had driven them out of the command post immediately gave strength to their legs.

They started trudging through the winter forest land.

They had been in high positions in the army for a long time and hadn’t done such physical activity for ages.

”Our judgment was flawed, a major flaw! If this isn’t resolved, there’s nothing we can do against that Demon Hunter!”

After trudging for a while, a commander spoke up.

Perhaps no one realized, or refused to notice, that everyone’s shoulders unconsciously shivered at the mention of a certain term.

The Niflgaard Legion invincible was swept directly at the command center... the psychological shock this action brought them was unprecedented.

Indeed, no one should know better than the commanders how strong their army was.

And when facing defeat, the pain was even more acute for those commanders.

They had never encountered such an enemy, moving with precision alone on the battlefield, breaking through every encountered position, and eliminating commanders accurately, then as if already knowing, rushing straight to the command center!

What on earth is that enemy?!

The commander’s voice was hoarse and resolute, like a wolf howling in a dead end.

”We were wrong from the start, weren’t we? That Mutant is immune to magic, probably finding us because of magic!”

”Enough, Sir Sean!”

Before the commander blatantly aimed criticism at the Warlock, or perhaps his own decision, Meno Kuhorn ordered him to shut up.

But military prestige is straightforward: victory earns respect; defeat brings contempt.

Meno Kuhorn certainly had prestige, having helped Niflgaard achieve countless victories... but that was before today.

”I’m speaking for the Empire’s strategy, and you silence me?”

”What strategy involves just one person?”

”But isn’t tackling that person a strategy for the Empire?!”

Sir Sean questioned bluntly, leaving the still uncomfortable Marshal speechless.

”Wake up! This battle is lost because of one person! That damn ’one person’!”

Everyone continued their pace, but fell silent.

After a long while, the Marshal spoke: ”I’ll take responsibility for this defeat, but the most crucial matter now is to re-establish the command system and then have the army break southward from the stalemate, returning to our occupied territory.”

”Returning in disgrace? Is the Niflgaard Army’s undefeated reputation to be tarnished by us?”

Sean still didn’t relent, and then, Meno Kuhorn suddenly turned, realizing what this former subordinate intended.

”We cannot fail.” Sir Sean, with eyes bloodshot, gritted his teeth and said.

”Our invincible reputation signifies not just honor! But profit! You know very well!”

Niflgaard is a slave empire; its subordinates are markets for selling goods and objects for exploitation.

Each year, uprisings within or near the empire occur incessantly. Yet even with such frequent uprisings, they only happen under the shared notion of the ’Niflgaard Army being invincible.’

This notion was established by the Niflgaard Legion, conquering victory after victory during the empire’s expansion!

Why could Calanthe of Sintra be called the ’Lioness’? Largely because people admired her daringly expressing hostility towards Niflgaard.

Even though Niflgaard’s coveting of Sintra had been apparent for long, the fact that she dared to retaliate sufficed to show Calanthe was a fierce person, a ’Lion.’

And if even this suppressive common notion vanished, would Northern People still fear them? How much more trouble would arise within the empire and its territories?

Uprisings, rebellions, divisions, subversions...

The benefits established on that notion could collapse overnight.

Moreover, issues once resolved by mere military intimidation might require true money for deployment in the future.

The resultant additional expenses would be astronomical!